Toxic
by SmileysBasis
Summary: Crystal Tokyo has finally come, only for some reason The Great Freeze has extended over the entire planet. Everyone's beginning to lead smooth, normal lives until a note is discovered with two words that harshly pulls them all back together: "First Victim
1. Prologue: Of Odds and Ends

**Toxic**

**Prologue: Of Odds and Ends**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing

* * *

_Earth. Such an ambiguous term when referring to the celebrated planet holding the only complex organisms for light years. It's more than just the planet, more than the oxygen, and nitrogen, the carbon, the layers of atmosphere and the thick and thin crusts. It contains complex infrastructures, intricate societies, has developed a detailed history of discovery, violence, resolve and growth. The planet holds one of the most complicated organisms to walk its solid grounds; an organism that has developed speech, ideas, expression; that organism is mankind. _

Mankind had aged. It had started out young, creating countries and leaning on faith. It developed difficult thought, sought power and killed over large sums, morals and petty disagreements. Mankind edged into the modern ages, humans developed cars, cell phones, plasma screens and destructive military weapons. It sleuthed on further to borders beyond its own and extended the hand of technology to the unknown, black chasm of space. Homelands formed, named Colonies, and more war was waged on the already weary planet. Military personnel mauled its land and disastrous machines called Mobile Suits were the optimum mode for attack. The large, bestial mechanisms were brought to their height with the discovery and utilization of Gundanium Alloy. This, in turn, brought about contraptions that were virtually unstoppable, maneuvered by five emotionally distraught and hard-willed men.

What Mankind had forgotten, however, was the supernatural, almost magical phenomenon that had been predestined before humans singularly ruled the planet. Some remembered, those old enough to be witness to the grandeur of the ones leisurely dubbed the Sailor Senshi. Some recalled the mention of a crystal city, a paradise of purity amidst the muck that had been slopped to mar the rest of the world. What most had forgotten was the natural explosion of intense marvel, a phenom that rocked the norm and, instead of containing itself to the island it had been predetermined to devour, it spread like a virus over the entire planet.

The Great Freeze.

For one whole year the Great Freeze enveloped Earth and all that it had become. It transformed the planet, the scarred orb Mankind had left behind, and cleansed its filaments in order to sift out all of the toxins implanted in its firm body. Purity seeped into its core and transformed the lives of the people of Earth. However, instead of creating a paradise hub, focusing all of its energy on one secure location, something urged the freeze on. An unknown, indistinct force acted upon it as the phenomenon surged over the globe and covered every inch of land and water. The cleansing was spread amongst the entire planet and, instead of completely eradicating corruption, merely gave the planet a new start.

The only result that had been expected was the rise of Crystal Tokyo and its Queen. Mankind was confused, their previous lives humming within their body, their skills still fresh in their bones. Memories, however, were hazy, but an unclear, almost forced accepting disposition buzzed in the back of their minds. It was as if they couldn't resist the now literally shining new planet. That ever-present distinction between past and present was still evident in Mankind's mind and an uneasy move towards life started again, but not without consequence.

Some remembered the old Earth a little too well. Some wanted to revert back to their home, the Earth they knew, and rid themselves of the seemingly fake and cotton candy-esque falsity that they faced. New history was formed when, seventeen years after the Great Freeze, those who remembered revolted. They were led by the ever young and radically minded Duo Maxwell. He wrote books on the human mind, on what he called the memories of the Previous Earth, P. E. He criticized the world for following like drones and published more on ways to live happily while rejecting the newly determined outlook on life and Earth. Followers of his ideals sprung up all across the planet. They gathered in mass numbers, and when the revolt turned violent, Crystal Earth was scratched with its first blemish.

Thousands were injured in a simple effort to express dissatisfaction against those who were simply trying to live happily. Lines were muddied and none were found to be at fault but the insinuator of the entire motion: Duo Maxwell. He was charged with treason and sent to Crystal Tokyo, where he was locked securely in the highest tower. One window faced North towards the glittering city in spite of his contemptuous beliefs. Breakfast was served every day at exactly seven o'clock. Lunch was at one and dinner was promptly at eight.

In the western corner there stood an old, yet finely tuned, piano. Its cover was always open and the ivory keys shimmered continuously throughout the day. In the eastern corner there stood a small, four-post bed, which was just long enough for him to fit on. His blanket stopped shy of his feet and a sink and a bathing seat stood lonely in the southern corner. His clothes were stuffed unceremoniously into a wooden trunk against the wall and a light with a fan hung over his head, too high to reach. Every day he was commissioned to make blankets and deliver finished products with his empty lunch trays. Some two he kept for himself, one, the awkwardly make blanket that rested on his bed just short of full length, and another he manufactured into a pillow; two pleasantries he'd been denied upon his first arrival. He was forbidden to write for the rest of his life and stayed quiet and alone.

Our story begins _en media res._ All people had moved on. The Senshi, however, maintained their full memories and powers, as they'd seen themselves have when they visited the future. After the threat of Galaxia had been terminated, the Cauldron had yet to manifest Chaos once again and the protectors of Neo-Queen Serenity moved on to lead the normal lives they never thought they'd have. All accept one.

Minako Aino, alternately known as Sailor Venus, remained at the side of Neo-Queen Serenity. The leader of the Inner Senshi preserved the idea that her Queen should be surrounded with those who were _meant_ to protect her. She explained that they'd been given their powers for a purpose, their lives had been pre-ordained and they had a duty to fulfill. The opposing arguments were stronger in number, but not in will. When Chaos returned they would be called upon. They would know when they would need to be called back in to the line of duty. Hard feelings were not manifested but friendships drifted and bonds dissipated.

A new protective service was put in place in Crystal Tokyo. There was the Royal Guard, those who protected the Crystal Palace both inside and out. Integrated to a position alongside Sailor Venus herself was the ambitious WuFei. He was originally from China, but felt that his ability to protect with extreme precision would serve best by a Queen's side. The Sailor Senshi of Love, however, disapproved of a new security member so close to her Queen. The only people she believed should be even relatively near Neo-Queen Serenity were herself, Mamoru, or any of the other Senshi.

Below the Royal Guard was an organization called Black Ops. It was a system that operated all around the world and had concrete bases stationed in several main countries. Here, authorities dealt with high-ranking, classified missions, ones in foreign relations and frankly, matters that just arent discussed in every day life. In this department was the still emotionally drained and deprived protective agent Heero Yui.

Below Black Ops was the Crystal Services. While the hub of the Great Freeze, Crystal Tokyo, maintained a less corrupted population than other countries, that didn't stop the human urge to kill. It was Mankind's flaw, the one eerie thing that they could not escape, as if destruction of life was imbedded in the human mind. This department was medium sized and handled petty theft, civil disobedience and murder. Stationed in this unfortunate region were Makoto Kino and Ami Mizuno. Ami relished in their lackluster job, doing the things that she loved in a large forensics lab while Makoto pouted continuously at being stuck in a dead end position. Ami knew that she just wanted to get moved up to Black Ops, where they could both exercise their actual abilities more freely but unfortunately one cannot just jump to the top. They remained close friends, due to them working in the same department, but things would never be how they were.

Haruka and Michiru had moved on to become performers. Finding two women unfortunately still did not gain much recognition they decided to add a third member on to their party. After several auditions the spritely, kind violinist Quatre Winner was added to their team. Their success became easy and their popularity grew. Classical music had become far more acceptable after the Great Freeze. They played in various countries and sometimes even for the Queen, a nice reunion between old friends. Over the years Quatre had acquired an unfortunate love for Michiru. Of course he knew that she and Haruka were together, the two open around him, but there was something in her gracefulness, her kindness, and her unbelievable ability to play the violin that kept him in the tide of her step. Quatre knew his love went unrequited but that never kept down his continuous admiration. The only person who didn't seem to know of his affection towards the aqua haired beauty was her lover, Haruka, and frankly, nobody was going to tell her.

Rei and Trowa had drifted the most from their previous friends. During the days Rei cared for her grandfather at their still standing Shinto Temple. At nights she performed as a singer in a small, classy bar; it was a fun job where she could escape from daily duty and immerse herself in something she actually loved to do. She became very quiet, however; reserved. Despite all her efforts to remain normal her abnormal beauty caught many eyes and her slightly flirtatious voice and sensual presence on stage brought too many visitors to her small shows.

Trowa had fallen off the deep end. His memory already blitzed from his previous life he awoke with no buzz of reminiscence at all of his skill. The only familiarity that burned in his veins was his uncanny ability to fight. He joined an underground fighting ring where he earned money for winning matches. He struggled his days as a waiter in a small, run down restaurant and wasn't opposed to sleeping on the street--an unfortunate happening that he'd come across many times.

All of their lives had begun to run different paths, a winding road towards individuality. But one thing, one singular yet shell shocking happening, was going to rock Crystal Tokyo for all it was worth and cause all of those straying, snake like paths of individuality to become sucked back together in a singular road full of mayhem. It started with a note, one small seemingly insignificant piece of paper sent directly to the director of Black Ops's office; Sally Po. It was the words on the paper that held the meaning. One bloody fingerprint was embossed on the side as if it was a stamp, and in the middle of the card, neatly written in capital letters, were two cold words:

First Victim.

* * *

First chapter is short, I know. Have no worries, as the story progresses the chapters will elongate. Like I said, it's almost like a condition where I have to be writing more than one story at a time. I watched so much crime TV over break that I felt an unbearable urge to write a fun, crime-like story. However, you're going to have to ignore my unfortunate stupidity when it comes to technical terms and whatnot. I'll do my best but I cant promise anything. Unlike in my other story, where I think there will mostly be flings and sexual tension, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have concrete pairings in this one and they'll most likely be blatantly obvious.

Hope you enjoyed :)


	2. The Error In Our Ways

**Toxic**

**Chapter One: The Error in Our Ways**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

Sally Po sat perturbed at her desk. In her long, gloved fingers was a small card, business like in size and cream colored. In the top right corner there was a bloody fingerprint, a stamp of a potential murder since the neat, inky words below it read "First Victim".

She leaned back and put the card up to the light, seeing if there were any differences it its makeup or imprint. When nothing appeared Sally flopped back forward and glared at the tauntingly sadistic words. "First victim, as in there will be more or there already are?" she questioned herself quietly, chewing slightly on her lip.

"A poignant question, Ms. Po."

Sally's body tensed scarcely and her eyes glanced up to glare at her long time friend. "No matter how many times I tell you not to, Agent Noin, it seems as if you have an irrefutable need to break the rules," she growled through gritted teeth before waving her hand and snapping, "shut the door."

Now out of the line of prying eyes and dumbo ears Sally turned the card to face her friend. "First Victim," she said and tapped her finger near the bloody mark. "Most likely him."

"Or her," Noin contested with a smirk.

Sally's nostrils almost flared. "It was a generalization," she barked, slamming the card down on to the table. Noin glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, her hands tucked safely behind her back. Sally sighed.

"How the hell did someone get in here?" For the moment it was a rhetorical question. She looked to her ceiling and the one door that led in and out; the only entry points to her office. She rubbed her eyes. "Forensics will be up in a moment." She handed Noin the card. "Take this down to the lab and see if they can identify who that bloody print belongs to." Noin nodded and exited, leaving Sally to wallow in obvious frustration by herself.

* * *

Trowa sat hunched over a small table, his long torso a full bend shrouded in a black shirt, as he touched an icepack to his head. His boss, a fat, hairy, greasy sort of man with an uncharacteristically undaunting stare for someone of his stature amongst the unfortunate hierarchy of a run down restaurant, shook his head as he thumped by. His seemingly wet hair stuck to his face that, for some reason, always looked like it was sweating, and he pulled out his large fingers to push the strands away.

"You see," he began, peeking at the lanky man from between drying dishes, "I dwell in the back here because people would throw up if they knew I was preparing their food." There was a harsh gruff to his voice and his appearance, meaning his drastically drooped eyebrows and the piercing glint from his steel blue eyes, couldn't even make Trowa open his eyes. He knew his boss was a big cupcake on the inside. "You, on the other hand, hide back here to nurse a mysterious oozing wound."

Trowa's form shifted slightly and he turned to stare blatantly at the grease stains on his boss's protruding belly. He lifted his eyes purposely to match his boss's and raised an eyebrow. "I told you, I ran into a door," was his simple and peremptory response.

The fat man rolled his eyes and threw a small, white apron harshly Trowa's way. The brunette caught it, his reflexes quick despite one eye being masked in a bundle of ice. Setting down the pack he stood and tied it around his waist, placing the small menu book that had been sitting by his arm into a fraying, stained pocket. "If you loose fights with doors this often then I just might have to fire you. Who wants to see a beat up kid serving them food?" Trowa's boss placed his hands on his hips like a scolding mother. "I don't pay you to sit on your ass, go make me some money."

Pushing the stool back under the table with a hair rising screeching sound Trowa nabbed the icepack from the table and threw in nonchalantly into a dripping sink. "Who said I lost?" was his saucy remark before he pushed on the rusting metal doors and was greeted with the sight of a dank dining place. The only thing Trowa liked about this place was the fact that the entire front of the restaurant was windows, it made the place seem bright despite it's obviously grotesque upkeep.

The man behind the bar nodded towards a couple and Trowa gave a curt nod back, walking slowly towards the arguing duo, obviously discontent with where they'd chosen to eat.

"This place looks foul…" he heard the woman say but the man brushed her comments off with a wave.

"It only looks that way, I swear they've got the best grilled cheese sandwiches here…"

The girl only sighed and propped her head miserably on her hand. She continued to stare indecisively at the menu before coming to a grudging conclusion on what she was going to eat. Trowa reached their table and, as if the guy could sense his presence, took his order of a grilled cheese sandwich. The girl tapped her fingers on the metallic table, obviously uncomfortable, and spewed a quick order of the same. "And do you have the… Good lord!" she cried when she looked up.

Staring down at her was Trowa's eyes; one a forest-like green, actually pretty if you covered the other one up, the other a mass of dried blood and sloppy stitches. He was sporting a massive yellowing bruise that caused the skin to swell and produced a sort of lazy eyed look as it partially closed his line of vision. The girl placed a hand to her mouth and looked disgustedly at her partner.

Trowa sighed. "No I'm sorry, we don't serve that here. The church about two blocks north can give you a big helping though, I'm sure."

The girl gasped at his response, his voice barely earnest but hardly sarcastic. Her hand remained on her mouth and she looked as if she was going to throw up. Pushing her chair back with a ferocity her companion obviously didn't know she had, she stood quickly and dashed from the run down diner. The man stood and yelled, "Wait, babe!" before running out after her.

Trowa stared after them for a while, watching as she walked unyieldingly away from his workplace. He'd sort of figured something like that would happen and didn't quite care much for the girl's stiff response. It wasn't his business to be bothered, however, and he peered over to the guy at the bar, who was smirking.

_Glad I could bring a smile to your face,_ he thought sarcastically as he turned and walked back into the kitchen, searching for his icepack. He found it a few moments later in a bowl of half eaten chili and a sticky Alfredo sauce. Picking it up he winced slightly and glanced down at his bruised knuckles. The red scabs, dull bruising and the humungous mass that was now his left eye were not the only remnants of his long night.

He'd been sloppy last night, something had been bothering him in the back of his mind but he couldn't put his calloused finger on it. Whatever it was, however, was messing up his concentration and thus his nightly performance. Just thinking about the previous night brought more pain to his right side, where he'd suffered a pretty hard kick. He lifted his shirt and touched the bruise gingerly with his long fingers. The skin was warm and pulsing with blood, a beat that barely matched his slow heart rate.

Trowa rarely got excited; it was partially why he was so good at what he did. Most of his opponents were praised for being tense but Trowa was loosey-goosey, a lanky, hunched over fighter who remained more on his other senses than his eyes. He was flexible; it was a strange talent that had earned him a lot of flack, but he liked to think of it as a tactical maneuver. His other senses had been busy last night, however, and he hadn't been able to focus his center before his name was drawn.

Trowa shook his head, trying to escape his embarrassing display the previous night. He'd come out on top but only by a small margin. His credibility had gone down, that was for sure, and unfortunately integrity was like money in his world. Hopefully they'd let him back in the ring…

Trowa felt his pocket vibrate and pulled out a cheep, chipping phone from its depths. It was a text from that strange kid who always congratulated him when he won. He was a flimsy looking kid, one who looked on in eagerness whenever others fought but, now that Trowa thought about it, he'd never actually seen the kid dual before. Shrugging his shoulders (and regretting it later over the pain) he stared down at the screen and smirked. The text was blunt and to the point.

_Kings beard. 1:17. McKinnley's there. Don't fuck up._

Mckinnley… a quick, strong, rich kid from America Trowa had a bit of beef with. Snapping his phone shut his mouth pursed grimly. He'd find some KB some odd hours before the match to dull the pain and hope the slow response effect he got from weed would wear off by the time he and Mckinnley would scrap.

Reaching into the sink Trowa pulled the icepack from the bowl, rinsed it a bit, and then pressed the greasy coolness to his eye once again. It was going to be a long night…

* * *

Minako bowed swiftly and gracefully down onto one knee upon entering Neo-Queen Serenity's office. She could feel Wufei's standing bow behind her and mentally chastised him for his impudence; when both king and queen were present you bowed to your knees. Two rulers, two levels lower.

Serenity obviously didn't mind as she looked up slightly from the papers she and her husband were inspecting and nodded. "Venus, Wufei," she acknowledged, Endymion giving the same, steady, affirming nod.

The two remained in their bowed position until the queen asked gently why she deserved their audience. Minako stood, giving Wufei a small look over her shoulder as she did, one that spoke volumes on her end and one that he preferred to delicately ignore.

Minako cleared her throat, placing her hands behind her back. She opened her mouth to speak but the words paused, furious in her throat when a deeper voice reverberated above her.

"There's been a possible Black Ops breach."

Minako's gloved fists clenched tightly behind her back and her lips pressed firmly into a thin line. For not speaking much, Wufei sure knew the inappropriate times to open his mouth. She wanted to turn around and smack the hell out of him for his blunt statement but to do so would be embarrassing for both parties and definitely not part of the code of conduct. Before the queen, king, or Wufei could even ponder the previous words spoken Minako let her voice be heard.

"The director, Sally Po, would like a direct audience with you. She seemed shaken over the phone and gave me a story, most likely fabricated, about an office intrusion and a request to borrow agents from the Crystal Services."

The floor creaked as Wufei shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "It wasn't necessarily that the story was fabricated," he disagreed and Minako bit the inside of her cheek harshly. "I believe that she was simply not telling the whole story, she's holding back information she doesn't want swimming around and would like us to respect the fact that she'd rather only divulge that information to you."

If it had been some sort of movie or comedy Minako was sure that her character would have chosen that moment to furiously stomp on his foot while giving Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion a peachy, little smile. Oh, how he made her blood boil.

Neo-Queen Serenity looked at them with a sort of blue eyed innocent gaze and nodded her head, her husband placing a hand to her shoulder. "A Black Op infiltration is a matter of national security. Have her sent up immediately please."

The two nodded, giving another small bow, and turned to depart through the large oak doors. Minako, however, paused when she heard her queen call out her name.

"Venus, could you stay for a moment?"

Hand poised precariously on the edge of the door, ready to shut it, Minako looked over her shoulder to Wufei's back, walking steadily away, with a sneer before turning and walking back into the office. "Of course," she said, shutting the large door with as much grace and silence as she could muster. "What may I do for you?"

Neo-Queen Serenity looked at her with a watery stare. Her eyes moved mover Minako's body tiredly, almost in pity at the Senshi uniform she still wore. Her and Setsuna were the only two to enter that mystical garb since the Great Freeze. In some ways it made Neo-Queen Serenity feel guilty. She felt partially as if her place in the protection of the planet was becoming less of an able bodied warrior and more of a political liaison. Her mind was on the edge of a serious mental flashback but she pulled herself back so as not to seem like she was daydreaming.

Her eyes focused on Minako's waiting eyes and she frowned, the patter in her heart almost angry. It's like Minako only saw her as a queen now, a head of state, a higher power political machine where strict protocol was to be followed to the T and ease abandoned.

"Minako Aino, what's my name?"

Needless to say Minako was startled. Not only at the question but that was first time she'd heard her name, her full, real name, spoken aloud in who knew how long. It felt strange, foreign, uncomforting, as if she'd been on an undercover mission and her enemy had found out her true identity. She answered nonetheless.

"N-Neo-Queen Serenity."

The look her queen gave her made Minako's heart sink. She looked disappointed, her eyebrows slanted downward and her eyes speaking volumes. In addition she seemed partially sad, a glassy gaze overtaking her bright blue orbs. They stared at each other for a moment, a confusing battle with an unknown motive.

"Minako, what's my name?"

Minako's confusion was now evident on her face. "I don't…" she started, perplexed, before continuing, "Neo-Queen S—"

"Mina-chan, what the hell is my name?!"

At her outburst Minako jumped. Her heart gave a tiny jolt and the taste of metal rushed into her mouth, causing her to swallow uncomfortably, the strain visibly evident in her throat. Her hands were sweaty and they dropped from their stiff position behind her back to hang almost lifelessly by her sides. Her queen's face was flushed, her eyes no longer holding that disappointing river, but now they held a furious storm of sapphire and anger. Her body was leaning dangerously over her desk, small hands splayed over paperwork and pigtails spewed amongst the wood like strands of golden embossment. Minako felt unbearably compelled to answer.

"Usagi Tsukino."

Serenity sat harshly back into her chair.

"Don't forget it." Her voice was laced with the most fury Minako had ever heard even near her pure body. It almost shook and her lips were pressed tight into a small frown and her nostrils flared in livid vehemence.

Serenity folded her hands into her lap. If Minako saw her solely as a monarch then she would assume the position of a monarch. "You may leave," was her cold dismissal.

Minako thought about bowing for a moment before completely disbanding the idea and slipping quickly from the room. She stumbled down the hallway, her posture approving an air of lucidness but her mind was in the state of a hallucinogenic drug. Minako had never experimented with drugs, thus the experiences were partially lost on her, but if she had to guess what the effects of psilocybin were, Minako assumed they would be something along these lines.

The hallways shuddered and bent around her. The postured carvings mounted along its tops morphed from the serene, putto-like, innocent faces with round cheeks and eyes filled with dream to vile children with a knowing, secret glint in their circular eyes, and a smile teeming with malice. When her breathing came ragged, Minako pressed a hand to her heart, shocked to feel it's crazed and erratic beating. Only with the realization of her blood pumping with the speed of a Ferrari down an open speedway did Minako fold herself into a wall, clutching furiously at her chest and hunching over. Her hair veiled her face from sight and Minako, for once, was appreciative of its ludicrous length. If anyone was to see the embarrassment, the pain, and the overall horror that twisted at her face in that moment, that observer would be peering into a long forgotten page in the emotion diary of Minako Aino.

In part she felt sad, sad that her queen… that Usagi had tried to reach out to her, tried to hint at some semblance of their former relationship and that she hadn't understood that Usagi was trying to reconnect. The other part of her was infuriated. At first the fury went unnoticed, like the first bite of a jalapeno pepper. But the spicy anger hit full blast when she realized just what Usagi was insinuating.

Usagi thought she was dissenting, drifting away, thinking more of the job rather than the attachment. Minako clenched her fists, nails digging through her gloves enough to penetrate her palms. Was it not her who stood up for their given position? Was it not Venus who stayed by the side of her queen? Was it not Minako Aino who begged for the others to stay? Was it not dear old Mina-chan who stayed by Usagi's side when she had nightmares of their separation?!

She heard footsteps padding softly on the shorthaired carpet down the hallway and her body went rigid. "Venus?" A voice called behind her. The blonde's rapidly beating heart almost stopped, as if the driver of the Ferrari suddenly pulled up the emergency brake. The sudden change in emotion brought a churning to her stomach and bile rose uncomfortably in her chest, resting sourly in her throat. It was Wufei.

The Senshi of Venus straightened up and swallowed, holding down a grimace at the grotesque consequences of the action. "Wufei," she responded, assuming her regal air of confidence. Or so she thought.

Wufei walked upon her and noticed something was not quite right. She'd always been cocky and standoffish towards him, and needless to say grumpy and rude. However, the awkward pose she'd seized acquired a couture model stance and her eyes held a glossy, sick tint. She was leaning heavily against the wall as a crutch and after all…

"You're crying…" He reached up to swipe a tear from her face, managing to connect a rough thumb to her now clammy cheek before Minako jerked her head away from his touch as if stung. Wufei pulled the thumb close to his face and inspected the salty substance that resided there as if he were inspecting ancient miniature text.

At first Minako looked confused, as if the word crying eluded her, as if the meaning of the word tears did not exist in her vocabulary. When she felt her cheek softly and realized that there was, indeed, the residue of anguish resting on her face, she furiously wiped them aside like she did Wufei, stumbling curiously down the hallway.

"I'm just not feeling well," was her lofty response, barely reaching Wufei's inquiring ears. But he knew it was more than that, more than a sickness, something even more than the obvious long lost relationship between her and the queen.

* * *

After Minako had left, Endymion watched as his wife placed her head in her hands and bawled like the teenager he knew was still inside her. The only sniffling words he could cipher from her jumbled, nonsensical, watery lips were "I miss them…" and "I'm so lonely…"

The only comfort he could think of was to get onto his knees and pull her sitting body into a tight hug. She responded as he assumed she would and wound her arms firmly around his head, face tucked harshly into his warm neck. Endymion knew his words would do no good. After all, there wasn't much to say; he was pretty damn lonely himself.

* * *

I apologize for this chapter coming out so late. I continually complain about how slow the section is moving and yet I can't even get a quick chapter out. I suppose I'm treating my writing like I am school; I've transformed into a second semester senior and that equals negligent. This chapter featured Sally, Noin, Trowa, Wufei, Minako, Usagi and Mamoru. I've had a little streak of inspiration and perhaps the third chapter will be coming out soon, featuring Ami and Makoto, Quatre, Michiru and Haruka, Rei, and Heero.

Oh, and all you Setsuna and Hotaru fans? Don't worry, they'll be showing up as integral parts of the story, probably right around when Duo starts to get some limelight… just not quite yet.

And I don't usually do this, but...:

**reina shirahime:** thank you! I know, I know, another story, but it's fun to work on ones that are in different genres otherwise i get bored with one story. So now I have the chance to switch between all three! I am trying to bring about a new atmosphere, a new... i don't know, outllook? On the whole relationship between the Senshi and the guys.

**Requiem of Fire: **Thanks to you as well! I'm excited for this story too, I have really good ideas for it :) By the way, I thoroughly enjoy reading your story, What's Left of Me. It's very entertaining and I absolutely _love_ how you're setting Rei's character, it's completely believable to me.

**Aqua Tonic: **Thanks so much! Mind thrilling is what I strive for :)

**suisei no** **mitsukai: **Thank you, freshness is what I try to achieve as well. I absolutely love the idea of Ami in the forensics lab but I'm a little nervous because I'm pretty bad with forensic terms and abilities. My sources are solely TV and Wikipedia, haha. I have plans for Quatre, oh do I have plans for him. His unrequited love will get him into quite some mess, but you'll have to wait and see where it leads him :) I'm not saying it's not Ami, but I'm not saying it is either.

**aquafina rain:** I know EXACTLY what you mean! Crime stories get me all tingly inside, especially when they're focused around my favorite characters. Unfortunately there aren't many decent ones out there so I sat down and said "well gee! I think I'll just do it myself, then!". I'm glad you think that where I've set the characters suits them. I tried to set it up that way so that they can slowly meet each other on realistic grounds before they all come together in the story. Thanks for reviewing :)


	3. Who Am I, Who Are You?

**Toxic**

**Chapter Two: Who Am I, Who Are You?**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

"_Rusted brandy in a diamond glass…"_

Rei shivered, though goose bumps did not rise to her flesh; the thick, warm, air of the nightclub made any chill impossible. She shivered from the mere poetic genius of the lyrics, from the perfectly painted picture those words created in her head. Her hair was let loose tonight and it clung uncomfortably to her back, slick with a light sheen of sweat.

"_Everything is made from dreams…"_

Though she loved the song, this statement was as far from and as close to the truth as anything could possibly be. Ever since the Great Freeze it was as if her high school years, the years of impervious youth, were shoved to the back of her mind like a dream. Her previous friends felt like dreams, her Senshi days felt like dreams, the pain, the dying, the satisfaction of saving the entire world felt like the brain's manifestation of entertainment during a long night's sleep. But when she also thought of dreams Rei thought of aspirations, of happiness, of reaching one's goals. That _definitely_ hadn't happened.

"_Time is made from honey, slow and sweet…"_

It would have been nice to think this, Rei thought, but the unfortunate fact of the matter was… no. Just straight up no. Absolutely not.

"_Only the fools know what it means…"_

Again, unfortunately yes.

Her warm hand brushed a man's shoulder and his eyes slowly traced the curvature of her hips as she passed by. When the weight of her body pressed against his he wound a hand around her hip.

"_Temptation…I can't resist…"_

Rei wended her way sensuously back towards the stage, her back remaining the only face her audience gazed upon until she slowly turned around. Her eyes glided along the vast audience that stared at her with eyes filled with mystery, wonderment, lust. Usually these things did not unnerve her but for some reason tonight a tiny tingle crept up her back. When her sharp violet eyes hit the back area by the door she immediately knew why.

…

The club was empty; paths lighted by some candles flickering here and there, acute light from the dimmed bulbs above, and the disarming white from the moon through the windows. The band members circled on the stage in a quiet jam session as Rei helped pick up glasses and bottles strewn along empty, ruffled tables and the grimy floor.

The club was her perfume: her hair smelled like smoke, her neck like a cheap scent, her hands like alcohol, and her body like sweat. It was a wonder anyone could find her attractive. She set the empty cups at the bar and sighed. How long was she going to do this? How long would she sell her looks and voice for appreciation and money? She would give up singing if it got her out of this ungodly place but she wasn't very good at much and waitressing just didn't pay well.

'Is that what I've come to?' she grimaced to herself, 'have I given in to money?' Her wallowing ended quickly, however, and she snorted. 'It takes money to get out of this damned city.'

Rei sighed and turned from the bar, right into someone's chest. She backed away and sputtered for a moment. "I'm sorry," she said softly, looking up. Her eyes connected with dark blue orbs and her heart fluttered. It was a face she hadn't seen in awhile, one that brought back a flush of memories, some good, some bad, that made her throat tighten and a yearning to enter her heart for her teenage years. She smelled just as Rei remembered.

"Haruka," she exclaimed breathily, a small tinge coming to her cheeks as said girl smirked.

"Rei," was her simple response as she gave her a look over. When an eyebrow rose Rei frowned and haughtily placed her hands on her hips.

"I know you don't like it, and neither do I, but the inimical glare was frankly unnecessary," she retorted to the gaze as Haruka gave a throaty laugh. Her amused response evoked more anger on Rei's part as she turned away and continued to collect filth from the floor.

"Rei," Haruka said, her tone softer this time as she placed a hand on the younger girl's warm shoulder. "I didn't come here to chastise your chosen line of business—"

Rei spun around, flinging Haruka's hand from her shoulder. When the blonde looked addled Rei tried as hard as she could to make her disposition completely clear. She wet her lips and glared at Haruka from the corner of her eye. "My chosen line of business?" she said quietly, simmering in a pool of rage. Her hand fisted at her side and the other crushed a can with a metallic snap.

"I'm not leaning on any shoulders here, Haruka. I don't want any help. After…" she looked away and swallowed harshly, mental visions of her grandfather flashing through her head. Trying to prevent the grievous look that always marred her features at the thought of him, she cleared her throat and rubbed her forehead. "After grandpa's death and the shrine's destruction I needed to find a steady holding again. I hardly find this fixation permanent. I blame your cursoriness for your sharp words, not you, but that doesn't give you the right to say them." She dropped the smashed can into a bag. "Especially to me."

Haruka sighed. It was the same old Rei in a new shield. Before, she remained the cool, confident girl, the mysterious bombshell who threw any man's heart on the ground and stomped on it. Her emotions were in check, except when she bantered with Usagi. The blonde smirked at this, but it soon faded to a worried frown. Now she posed as a pessimistic person whose frequent elegiac expressions and sensual efficacy revealed a much more complicated mind.

"Well that's partially why I'm here." Rei's sharp eyes looked up. "We need someone to sing in our upcoming concert. The people who tried out were good but I'm looking for something a little edgier, and I've heard you sing before."

Rei ran a hand through her raven hair and walked over to the bar, setting the bag on a chair and turning to face Haruka, who'd followed. "And why should I come sing for you? We've never been pals before, even prior to the Great Freeze."

Haruka shrugged, grabbing a beer bottle and grimacing at the ash and alcohol mixture inside. She set it down and looked to the muck that tarnished the ceiling. "It'd be hell of a lot better than here," she mumbled, taking her hand and wiping it on her pant leg. "That wouldn't be the only requital either," she said nonchalantly, swinging a small bag back over her shoulder and heading towards the door. "We'd spend some time together, you, me, and Michiru, plus you would get to meet Quatre." The way she said his name, however, did not incite any excitement to meet him.

"Quatre?"

Haruka's mouth twisted downwards. "I suppose I shouldn't rag on him too much, he really is a sweet guy."

"But?"

"But… you know, despite knowing she's gay and all, he's got a thing for Michiru. Not really afraid to show it either." Haruka bit her lip and gave Rei an up and down look, earning a raised eyebrow in response. "Hopefully when you show up he'll have something else to obsess over." Haruka smiled. "Trading the sweet music queen for the smoky singing temptress."

Rei threw a piece of trash at Haruka, said girl batting it away with the back of her hand. "Anyways, you'll meet him when you come."

"_If_ I come, " Rei responded, setting her stance and giving Haruka the firmest look she could muster.

"Oh, you'll come."

Rei just wanted to wipe that cocky smirk off of Haruka's face with her own fist, but instead restrained herself to clenching it at her side. "And why is that?"

"Because the song you'd be singing is Con Te Partiro." Rei's eyes widened a fraction and Haruka gave her a salute.

"See you on Saturday," she smiled and walked out of the door, into the dark street.

Before Rei's mind could even begin to wrap itself around the situation that faced her there was another person who walked into the door. Snapping out of her current whirring mental state, she placed a hand up. "I'm sorry," she said, "we're cl—"

"Is Jiro-san here?" a deep, calming voice asked.

His long arms were stuffed almost haphazardly into a dark blue sweatshirt and his legs were covered only in a pair of loose, black shorts. What caught Rei's attention was not his overbearing height, or the way he sort of slouched to her level, but the huge swollen eye that almost protruded from his otherwise handsome face.

When she didn't respond Trowa took a hand from his pocket and scratched his head. "Look lady, I don't have a lot of time and I need to speak with him about someth—"

"Weed," she said quickly, almost as if it had been pushed forcefully from her lungs. She blinked rapidly before looking back up to his face. Usually when she confronted someone about buying weed from her co-worker they'd sputter or get angry with her. This man, however, simply blinked his one able eye and shrugged.

"If you want to be blunt."

The words spewed from his mouth unconsciously. Trowa was not one to usually make jokes but when Rei threw her head back and let loose a relieving, hearty laugh he was glad he'd done it. It vivified her, turning a sultry, melancholy looking bar singer into a brightened, amused, beautiful…woman.

"He's through that door to the left," she said, a smile still painting her lips as she pointed behind her. Trowa nodded and followed her finger, disappearing behind the door and slinking away from Rei's interested eyes.

* * *

Makoto kneeled next to the body, pulling her jacket closer to her skin as she inspected her newest case's naked body. He lay motionless in the middle of an ally way, arms crossed delicately over his chest, as if he'd already been sent to the morgue in a body bag. His body was pale and cool, a slight sheen lying upon it due to the night dew.

She traced a finger in the air along a large tattoo of a cross that stained his arm before outlining the smoker's patch that rested in the middle. He seemed normal, mid thirties perhaps and a fine build, a small bruise on his hip that could have been from anything. His fingernails looked clean of skin particles but that didn't mean there weren't any. Taking a small tool from the bag at her side she took a sample and placed it in a small bag, planning to give it to Ami later.

If one were to merely glance at his body they would see nothing wrong, perhaps he'd had a stroke or some other fatal catastrophe, but if your eyes wandered from his body to his face it would have been a whole different story. His lips were calm, slightly gaping, and the rest of his face lay untouched…except for his eyes. Streaming down the sides of his face to pool and crust in the curvature of his ears were streams of blood.

Makoto pursed her lips and stood, walking around the scene, eyes peeled for any marker as to what could have happened, camera prepared and shooting away. Others buzzed around her, blue "CS" jackets whizzing by as they prepared to take the body back to Crystal Services for inspection. She heard the body bag zip and was prepared to hop in the truck to leave when something fluttered inconspicuously down the ally way, closer to the dumpsters at the end.

Makoto looked behind her and, with a moment's decision, followed after it. She heard the truck start and a call of her name but ignored it for the moment, reaching down and grasping the small, yellowing parchment that now lay in her hands. Seeing if it was anything important she began to unfold it, trying to hurry carefully when she felt a few raindrops hit her shoulders and nose.

It was a difficult fold but she had the parchment open in seconds and flipped it upside down to see if she could understand the writing placed upon it. It wasn't Japanese, nor was it English. It didn't look European in any way. In fact, if she had to best describe it, it looked most like Egyptian hieroglyphics. Her eyebrows creased when she realized that they were not, in fact, the latter.

And then a specific symbol caught her eye. It was a heart, with an arrow pointing downwards towards the bottom of the paper. It looked astonishingly like Ami's old Mercury symbol. She looked over the characters more, trying to shield the paper with her body as she moved towards the truck and climbed in. Then, as if she'd been hit with a Luna Mind Meld her mind began to recall these sorts of symbols. They were curvy, crossing, and straight, ones she'd once seen carved into dilapidated pillars and a floor that held no roof. She'd seen them in a place that held no oxygen, where a thriving civilization had once roamed. She'd seen them when she was in middle school, when she'd taken that life-changing excursion to the Moon.

The letter was written in Lunarian.

…

Ami sat quietly in her chair. Her eyes swiveled left and right as she watched people dart inside from the rain pelting down onto their makeshift newspaper umbrellas. The water on the ground melded together in a watercolor pallet of lights, reflecting objects in odd shapes and distorted versions of their actual selves. Ami tilted her head to the side and placed her pencil tip precariously on the edge of the paper. Gently she began to make light strokes, outlining this shape or that.

Her firm concentration was terminated when someone came barreling into her lab, huffing and puffing and mumbling her name ungraciously. Giving a sigh Ami turned and was not quite surprised to see an almost drenched Makoto leaning heavily against the jamb of her door, cradling something cautiously in her hands.

"Ami," she huffed, swallowing and trying to catch her breath. "I… just ran all the way down here…" Makoto placed whatever she'd been holding in her hands on the cold, silver surface of one of Ami's lab tables and backed away, throwing her coat and shirt to the ground and placing her hands on her knees.

"I can see that…" Ami mumbled, walking to the back of her lab to grab a towel, then proceeding to throw it at her friend's head. Makoto caught it before it hit her and gave an incomprehensible thanks. She used the towel to try and dry the wet patches of her tank top before leaning over and drying her hair. Forgetting about the towel she dropped it on the ground and walked back over to the letter.

"I found this at the crime scene," Makoto said, handing Ami the letter. "Male, Caucasian, mid thirties. He was found naked in the middle of an ally, only thing that seemed wrong, and was obviously wrong, was the fact that his eyes were bleeding." Ami took the letter with a frown, not looking at it yet but staring at Makoto with a perturbed expression.

"His eyes were bleeding?" she asked.

Makoto nodded fervently. "Yes, yes, but that's not the big thing here Ami—"

"Makoto, that's a very big thing! How many deaths have you seen with bleeding eyes?" Ami shuffled around her lab, starting this program and that, getting out tools and whatnot. "I'll have to see if Dr. Wisner will allow me to stand by during the autopsy," she said absentmindedly, pushing her glasses up her nose and fiddling around in her lab.

Makoto sighed, placing a frustrated hand to her forehead. Whenever they were hit with a case that Ami found interesting it was nearly impossible to get her to focus on anything else. As she scrambled around the lab Makoto picked up the letter and calmly strolled up to her friend, who was shuffling around a cabinet. Taking her shoulders she spun the girl around and shoved the letter into her face.

"If you find bleeding eyes fascinating Ami, you'll surely see this as a trip." Ami took the letter and held it a little farther from her face, where she could distinctly read the symbols. "I found it at the scene." A flush came to her face and her heart pattered in excitement. "Ami, you won't believe this, it's in—"

"Lunarian…"

Makoto, her mood at first dampened by the fact that Ami had figured it out so quickly, shrugged her shoulders and pulled away, running a hand through her hair with excitement. "Yeah…what do you think it means?"

Ami had yet to pull her eyes from the paper, blue orbs glued to the curvilinear symbols that cultivated on the page. She was silent and if Makoto didn't know better she could have sworn Ami was actually _reading_ it. Her body remained still, her arms holding up like a statues, and her fingers held the paper as if it would burn her. Her eyes, however, shifted quickly and methodically over the parchment, analyzing each section, each part of data. When she spoke, it almost scared Makoto, who had become accustomed to the silence.

"Have you told—?"

Makoto snorted. "If I had do you think you'd be seeing it right now?"

Ami gave a knowing look and said, "point noted," before setting the paper down on the table. She took a seat on a chilly stool and cradled her head in her hands, her brain working at magnitudes it hadn't in awhile as it processed just exactly what this letter could possibly entail.

Makoto noticed her downtrodden expression and her eyebrows curled in confusion. She figured that Ami, like any other interesting case thrust their way, would be jumping for joy and licking her lips in excitement. Instead she looked worried, almost nervous as her fingers massaged her lightly shaking head and her eyes scrunched tight into a multitude of creases.

The brunette placed a hand to the scientist's shoulder and her friend sighed. "Ami-chan…" she began, not knowing exactly what to ask her, except perhaps the acutely non-imploring and bland question of, "what's wrong?"

Ami took her head from its soundly shaking cradle of her hands and shook it slightly. "Makoto…" she began, taking the letter in her hands once again and looking over the symbols. "This is not good. Not good at all…"

Makoto waved it off. "What?" she asked, drawing out the sound and giving her friend a hearty clap on the back. "Pish-posh my friend, this is a case that's going to go down in the books." She gave a grin and a fist pump. "I can feel it!"

Despite Makoto's jolly efforts, Ami's depleted look did not diminish. She stared at the paper in worry, flashes of past years, of what she could remember, flowing through her mind's eye like a torrent of water. Maybe she was worrying for nothing… but maybe her trepidation was legitimized in the fact that this letter, written in Lunarian, could possibly ruin the solidarity and profound restfulness of Crystal Tokyo. Perhaps even Crystal Earth.

Makoto's look softened and she took a seat, propping her head on her fist. "Ami-chan…please, what is it?" she asked cautiously, softly almost to cater to the blue haired girl's sudden mercurialness.

Ami turned on her seat to face her long time friend and was glad, despite its slightly contorted meaning, that she had someone to share this unfortunate burden and information with. She picked up the letter from her previously uncontaminated counters and held it by the corner for her friend to see.

"Mako-chan, this letter is written in Lunarian."

Said girl raised an eyebrow and leaned back. "Is that all you're worried about?" she asked, thinking Ami's suddenly foul mood had to do with her strive for perfection. "That we won't be able to translate it?"

Ami shook her head. "No. In fact, I've already translated some of it from what I remember in the past."

Makoto crossed her arms and lightly humphed, jealous of the fact that Ami could still remember something they all used to know fluently. Given it had been thousands of years ago.

"No," she said again, staring at the paper in the cautious way she had before, causing Makoto to lean in worriedly. "It's not that. It's the fact that it's written in Lunarian."

Makoto looked at the paper in earnest determination, hoping that staring very hard at it might evince just what the hell Ami was repeating. Okay, so it was written in Lunarian. So what? She stared harder, wondering if it was the content of the letter that had her nerdy friend all jittery. That process failed, however, when the only words she could remember related to any of the symbols painted gracefully were 'here', 'sighs', and 'tree'.

_Why the hell do I remember the word 'sighs'?_ Makoto asked herself, shaking her head and leaning back. "Ami, I just don't foll—"

"The letter. Is written. In Lunarian," she said fiercely, boring her eyes into Makoto as she glanced again at the paper. The tenseness growing in her shoulders began to release when Ami saw Makoto's eyes widen in a daunting realization. The green orbs grew gradually and stared incredulously at the now harsh symbol of reality that was held in Ami's hands.

She brushed her fingers over her lips, a nervous habit she'd acquired over the years. "Shit…" she mumbled behind the appendages, knee now bouncing in an anxious manner. What she was restless for, Makoto didn't know quite yet. "The letter is written in Lunarian."

Ami nodded. Now that Makoto realized what she had, she deemed the air fit to articulate their new circumstance. She gave an almost amazed bark of laughter, forced harshly from her throat. "People know that Neo-Queen Serenity has the Ginzuisho, they know now that there are otherworldly forces at work. Mako-chan," she said almost frantically, shaking the letter and bringing her voice down a few notches, "you may have forgotten it but only a select few know that she is actually from the moon." Makoto bit her lip, curse words shooting throughout her head. "Us, Makoto, her Senshi! We are the _only_ ones!"

"Shit," Makoto cursed again, only silently this time, keeping a hand over her mouth. "Ami this means our cover is blown. I was _meant_ to find that letter, somebody knows who we are…"

Ami shook her head. "Not only that, Mako-chan, but we are _not_, in fact, the only beings who know that she's from the Moon, who know how to potentially read Lunarian."

Makoto's heart shot into her throat before dropping like a rollercoaster into her stomach. She reciprocated Ami's previous position and cradled her head in her arms. "And to think… after years and years of otherworldly peace…"

"Yeah, to think…a Youma. And a smart one at that."

* * *

Heero stared at the auditorium; a grand, ostentatious and gaudy thing it was. Spinning gold coated sky blue ceilings and plush, red, velvet seating swam across its open spaces, catering to the bums of thousands of people. He'd heard the performers before and lucky for him they were pretty good, which would take his mind off of the glitzy hall they would play in.

He stood by the back door, arms folded securely in front of him as he leaned against the wall. His eyes scanned the room quickly and efficiently, the buzz in his ear reciprocating exactly what he saw. It was all clear. A prestigious Minister from Madrid was visiting Crystal Tokyo and, on this beautiful night, was taking his wife from a long day of international relations negotiations to a quiet and melodious concert. It was Black Ops that was assigned to the duty of protecting him, of guarding his precious life. And so Heero stood, watching and waiting.

He saw the Minister stand from his plump seat and pushed himself from the wall, wondering if there was a commotion or a possible disturbance. He took a step from the wall and placed a finger to his ear, trying to hear what the other agents were saying about the situation.

His concentration was interrupted when someone bumped his arm, causing the top part of his body to slightly lurch, before he quickly caught his composure and turned to face who'd hit him. When he saw the culprit his anger lessened but his demeanor stayed the same: cold, focused, hard.

It was only some girl and her friend, one garbed simply in a flowing, modest black dress that brushed her knees. The length of the other dress was the same but it assumed a dark red color with a more plunging neckline, into the crevice of where a peculiar necklace disappeared.

"Sorry!" she apologized, giving him a quick look over before grabbing her friend's arm and pointing to a certain vicinity, perhaps where their seats were. Heero's eyes narrowed. The second girl had been wearing a similar type of necklace… and he could have sworn he'd seen their faces briefly before.

Acknowledging that the Minister had only been standing to let an older couple easily walk into their seats, Heero assumed his position glued to the wall once again as the lights began to dim.

With the familiarity of the two females swimming aggravatingly in his brain, Heero pulled at the neck of his tuxedo, the unfortunate repercussions of being assigned to a case at a concert. He hated the damn thing; formal attire was a pompous reminder of just how little money someone attained, in his mind. There was a flood of applause as the performers graced the stage and took their positions.

As time passed Heero labeled it as a good concert, not one of their best but it was nearly impossible to lay a black mark on the trio that assumed the stage. One of them was even a person he'd known for a very long time…

His critique stayed firm until a girl walked out onto the stage. As she approached the microphone waiting for her it was now clear that she was, in fact, no girl. Her slim figure was accentuated by the most appropriate curves and a delicate, white dress draped her body. The fabric seemed almost diaphanous, haloing her body in a graceful curtain of luscious fabric, and yet it was oddly acceptable. Her hair contrasted spectacularly against the dress, a deep raven balancing innocence and reality as it brushed against her soft shoulders and vanilla garment. A single white ribbon twisted into a bow rested upon her head in a makeshift headband.

If the audience found her appearance wondrous they were pinned to their seats by the sheer etherealness of her voice. Heero expected classical, melodious, almost opera like seeing as how the song was Italian. What exuded from her vocal chords, however, was far from tight and prim. It gave him a dangerous feeling as it moved over the audience in a beautiful sensuous wave of music and they began to sway with it as if hypnotized.

The lines of the com in his ear were silent, not a breath being taken, not a murmur of appreciation or a comment on her beauty, just pure silence. It unnerved him, how a singular feeling could captivate an audience of thousands. His eyes scanned the crowd methodically again, searching for any flaws, any movement other than the ocean like sway of the dedicated listeners. When his eyes picked up nothing his eyes wandered of their own accord back to the beacon standing on stage.

The three players in the background ceased as the song came to its conclusion, her voice the only note reverberating throughout the hall. A single last line that morphed into a warm, thick feeling for the audience that left shivers rolling down their spines.

"_Io con te,"_ she sang, the last echo rebounding off of the high ceilings and settling lightly like confectioners sugar on a delicate pastry over the audience.

I'm with you. How fitting.

The note remained in Heero's ear for a moment and he studied the girl—woman, once again. Deep eyes and a perfect face with a crafted dress that made her look like some Greek goddess were the only things that marked her being. But instead of making him swoon (as if) or calming him into a peaceful, happy mood (get real) like it did for the rest of the audience, it made Heero suspicious. He didn't really know why until his eyes wandered to her neck. The sound soon turned into a cacophony of notes when he noticed that same necklace rested almost mockingly around her heck and hid beneath her dress.

After a pregnant pause the audience erupted into cheers and whistles, members standing until the entire auditorium stood in appreciation. The singer smiled and backed away, almost surprised that the audience valued her voice so much. Her eyes swooped over the crowd and Heero watched as she gave an especially large smile to the girl who'd bumped his arm and her friend. If possible, the one in red seemed the most enthusiastic out of the whole audience, whistling loudly and cheering, her friend beside her clapping so hard her hands were turning red.

Heero almost clucked his tongue. What a reprehensible display.

* * *

Quatre stood backstage with a smile teeming with an air of excitement. Rei had been absolutely _fantastic!_ She wooed the crowd in ways he hadn't even known possible. The only other time he'd seen an audience in such a state of awe was during one of Michiru's greatest solo performances.

He smiled at the thought of her and turned back towards his comrades. He'd already spoken to the Minister, an old acquaintance of his family, and exchanged pleasantries. The foreign man now stood swapping words with Rei, whose face was flushed with embarrassment over his praise and excitement from the whole rush of performing in front of such a prestigious audience.

Quatre watched serenely as Michiru placed a hand to Rei's shoulder and nodded in agreement to whatever compliment the Minister was giving. Seeing the two standing next to each other brought a whole new thought into his mind. Before, there'd been absolutely no one who could compare with his unrequited love interest, Michiru. He couldn't even explain the strange attraction he had to her; it was as if she was a magnet and he was drawn to her by laws he couldn't even fathom.

Sure there were other women he found attractive but there was a certain je ne se quoi about her and he hadn't known what it was until he heard Rei sing. Before, he hadn't even compared her with Michiru. Sure she was gorgeous but there was still that pull towards the violin goddess. But after tonight, Quatre felt a pull towards not only the one he'd had feelings for for so long, but for Rei as well.

It was their unbridled efficacy. Their power to produce such an effect over their audiences and the uncharacteristically beautiful music they were both able to produce. Quatre was glad he wasn't standing near them or else Rei's excitement and Haruka's brooding glare his way would surely have messed with his emotions in a way he didn't want to be known publically.

Instead Quatre opted to look around backstage for anyone else he knew, any other person to made idle chitchat with. What his eyes landed on made them open wide in surprise and shock, not to mention a small smile quirk onto his lips. He took slow, positive steps towards them, almost raising an eyebrow at the fact that the person did not sense him coming. Quatre stood next to his nonsense-chit-chat-victim and opened his mouth to speak when said victim beat him to it.

"Quatre," they acknowledged, eyes finally turning from the Minister and the small, bustling crowd to his formally attired, smiling self.

Quatre chuckled at this, knowing full well that it was foolish to think that he wouldn't have seen him coming. "Heero," he said politely back, said man giving a small nod in return. "Protective detail for the Minister, I presume?"

"Correct," was Heero's only response as his eyes slid back towards his charge and the women he spoke with. His eyes narrowed when he saw the same necklaces around the necks of the other two performers he'd seen; Haruka Ten'ou and Michiru Kai'ou. Five women, five similar necklaces, none of them showing what rested at the crevice of the small linked chains, what pendant rested between their breasts.

"Did you enjoy the performance?"

"I was not here for the performance, Quatre," Heero responded, turning his astoundingly monotonous eyes towards his former companion.

The blonde rolled his eyes. "It's not like you're deaf, Heero, your eyes and ears are not quite the same thing, if you remember." A small glare was sent his way and Quatre shook it off. "Plus, you forget who I am." At this Heero looked away and Quatre smirked. "I know you enjoyed it. Rei's voice is lovely, isn't it?" Heero didn't respond and Quatre turned his imploring eyes back towards the chatting group. "My question is why are you suspicious of her?"

It was Heero's turn to look at Quatre while the latter kept his eyes trained on the happily talking group. More people had joined, two females in fact. They all seemed to know each other and Quatre's eyes narrowed. He didn't know if the questions swimming in his head were his own suspicions or Heero's constant distrust.

The agent turned his head from the blonde when he noticed the questioning look that crossed his face and saw that the woman who'd bumped his arm and her friend were getting acquainted with the Minister.

He was put on full alert mode, finger to an earpiece as he heard the same alert statements from his fellow agents. Who were they? Without another look or word to Quatre, Heero strolled up to the group with a purpose, his long time, well… friend right behind him as he took his position next to the Minister.

Before he could coldly reprimand the women and speak quietly with the Minister, the blonde female performer, Haruka if he wasn't mistaken, cleared her throat.

"Minister, I would like you to meet two of our long time friends Ami Mizuno," she said, waving towards the blue haired girl, "and Makoto Kino," this time referring to the girl who bumped Heero's arm. Heero gave her a longer, slightly colder stare than he had her friend.

"Pleased to meet you," the Minister said, holding out his hand to shake both of theirs, his thick accent making him even more enjoyable. "Ms. Mizuno, you look so familiar."

She laughed, a tiny, tinkling thing. "We've met once before, though under much more stressed circumstances."

"Oh?"

"I was in Germany for studies, speaking with a professor who giving a presentation at a conference you were at. I don't quite remember why but we were arguing about the effects of ciprofloxacin," her eyes rose to the ceiling as if she were remembering something from a long time ago. The Minister gave her a questioning look and Heero, knowing exactly what ciprofloxacin was gave her meaningful glare.

"Cipro…I'm sorry, what?" the Minister asked.

Ami blinked. "Oh, you know, ciprofloxacin, the synthetically manufactured antibiotic used to combat anthrax."

The Minister turned to his wife, who surprisingly turned out to be a bit of a translator for him and explained what she meant. His eyes lit up as he began to remember the situation. "Oh yes, of course! The conversation got very heated and I remember walking over and making a foolish little joke about selling cases of it to pay for the ludicrous price of the hotel to try and… oh what is the word? Quell, perhaps? Yes, quell the fires of your professors heated temper."

Ami giggled again. "Yes, that was it! After all, 100 cases cost about a half a million dollars!"

They laughed and joked, Heero wondering just who on Crystal Earth this blue haired girl was. He stared at her for a long period of time, trying to gage her reactions to certain comments and see if there were any hidden meanings in the words she spoke when she did. Obviously she was smart, there was no doubt in his mind about that, but how she put her smarts to use he didn't quite know…

The group grew silent for a moment and Quatre took the time to do something that made Heero want to hit him very hard. "Everyone, this is my long time friend Heero," he said, keeping the last name a secret for obvious reasons.

They greeted him with various hellos and he nodded back, his eyes still trained skeptically on Ami. Makoto watched him patiently with a glare. Why was he staring at her friend with such contempt? The others didn't really seem to notice, Rei was still flushed about her performance and the others still under her spell. Ami noticed it a little bit but was too impersonal to let it bother her.

It bothered Makoto.

He excused himself quickly and walked away, around the corner. Strange, Makoto thought. Considering the wire in his ear he was most likely a part of the protection detail assigned to the Minister, so why was he scurrying away out of sight of the Minister? Her brows creased as a look of confusion and anger sprung across her features. Placing a hand to her friend's shoulder she whispered, "I'll be right back Ami, I have to use the restroom," before stalking after that cold-hearted bastard.

She'd walked away before Ami could respond and the blue haired girl sent a worried glance in her direction before looking over her shoulder in the other direction, where she could distinctly see the outline of the women's bathroom.

…

"Hey!"

Heero turned around slowly to face the girl following him, the annoying one who'd bumped into his arm. She walked quickly, considering the heels she was in and stood just barely under his height with them on. Her flushed face eliminated any source of intimidation she could have possibly mustered as she pointed a finger in his direction.

"What is your problem?" she asked furiously. Heero gave her an impassive look, placing his hands in his pockets and her annoyance grew. "The others may not have caught on to it but I could see those glares you were sending in Ami's direction."

She pulled away and placed her hands on her hips like a mother scolding a child. "What the hell was that for? Ami is probably one of the nicest people on this planet! She doesn't deserve the scrutiny of someone like you! What do you think gives you the right to—"

"Who do you work for?"

Makoto froze. For some reason the five words he spoke seemed stronger than the many she'd just spewed at him. He was so commanding, so cool that it almost frightened her. It was like some cheap scene out of a movie: the flustered female lead scolding the tempting male correspondent who immediately turns the tables, his distrust for her not evident until that very moment. He pulls out the gun and asks those pithy, catchy words—"who do you work for?"

Makoto's anger rose. "What's it to y—"

He grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back against the wall. The surprise on her face was all too readable and he used her momentary stunned demeanor to demand an answer.

"I said who do you work for?"

Makoto tried to move her arms but they were steadfast in his iron grip. Goodness how she just wanted to spit in his face…"who says I have to work for anyone? I thought it was Ami you were suspicious of here!"

Heero gripped her shoulders a little tighter and her hands rose to his forearms to try and pry them away. "I'm observant, not dumb," he stated coldly, not budging and inch. "You work together. Now, one last time, whom do you work for?"

Makoto had had enough. "Alright already! We work for the Crystal Services, okay? I'm a field agent and she's our forensic specialist. Will you let me go now?" Heero still hadn't let go and Makoto's loosened attitude tightened back around the wheel of anger as she could feel the bruises forming on her shoulders. "Hey, I told you, now let me go before I scream."

"You're not going to scream."

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Oh reall—"

"Who do you really work for?"

She rolled her eyes and gave up struggling. "Look pal," she said, exasperated, "I already told you, the Crystal Services. My badge is in my bag if you don't believe me, now let me—"

In a quick motion Heero reached out and grabbed at the necklace resting between her breasts. At first she thought he was trying to cop a feel and got extremely offended. But when Makoto realized that he was going for her necklace a fire ran through her veins that hadn't in a very long time.

Heero had his fingers clasped around the chain and a split second later he found himself against the wall, her arm pressed uncomfortably to his neck and her other hand clasped tightly around his that held the chain.

It was only at this moment that Heero realized her eyes were green, a swimming absinthe depth of fury that flashed before him.

"Let. Go."

He didn't. Instead, he yanked it harshly and brought her face close to his. "If I find out that you or any of your friends are a threat to this city, country, or planet, I swear I will take you down and make you suffer."

Makoto put her face in his to prove that she was not intimidated. "Ditto, you bastard, if I ever catch you glaring, even looking at my friends in that manner ever again."

Heero loosened his grip on her necklace but his glare held steadfast. Makoto pulled her arms away from his neck and his wrist and was prepared to walk away. She took one step and Heero yanked her by the necklace again, earning a tiny yelp on her part as she all but crashed into him.

Makoto pressed her hands to his chest to push away and, fortunately for her, Quatre chose that exact moment to walk around the corner. He'd seen them both stalk off in this direction and was wondering if things were all right. When he found them in a slightly compromising position Quatre figured that everything was _just fine_. Despite that, he couldn't help from exclaiming, "Heero!"

Said man leaned down and whispered in her ear, "if I catch you, and I will, I'll kill you," soft enough that Quatre couldn't hear.

Makoto was disturbed but put on a front, easy enough from her Crystal Services training. She smiled brightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Before giving his chest a little tap. "Right back at 'cha, babe," she grinned, fixing her hair and pulling up the straps of her dress, which had become lopsided in their tussle. She turned to Quatre and walked his way. "You know how it is," she said, feeding on his belief that something had happened and giving him a wink as she passed him.

Heero watched her go, not willing to acknowledge the slight pain he had in his wrist or the irritation in his throat. A woman had never bested him before, and he planned to keep it that way.

Quatre looked astonished. "Heero!" he exclaimed again, which was really getting on the brunette's nerves. "I didn't know you were attracted to women!"

* * *

Eh, so slight OOC on some accounts, not quite as spot on as my last chapter, I'll admit. But in all honesty I had a lot of fun writing this chapter haha, I'm so excited to write more interactions between Rei and Trowa :) Next chapter I'll focus more on Minako, Wufei, Rei, Quatre, Usagi, perhaps a little of Ami and Trowa, and _finally_ Duo will show up! Absolutely love him; I can't wait for his character to make an appearance.

**TopazDragon:** Wow, thank you for you compliments, they mean a lot! I loved writing the scene between Minako and Usagi, their friendship is oddly unique to me and I can't wait to elaborate on it. I hope this chapter kept you equally as captivated :)

**suisei no mitsukai: **I'm very happy that you and other people are finding the Usagi/Minako scene believable, that was my entire goal. I want to put something more than fluff and action (though there will still be plenty of that, I suppose) in this story because I want to build off of the relationships that could potentially grow and weaken between the Senshi over time, and the already strained one between the Pilots. Thanks for you review!

**Requiem of Fire: **Haha, thank you _again_ for the compliment on the Usagi/Minako scene, all of this makes me so pleased with it. Frankly you're right, reality is a bitch and I'm pretty sure Usagi didn't see this coming. I have vague ideas of how I'm going to introduce how they split up in detail, but hopefully it will be as up to par as the rest of the emotional stuff. As for my Rei characterization…hmm, she's a little rusty right now, almost a little too soft for my liking but that's how I want to start off with her. She's a bit different for the moment and, oh my goodness, I can't wait to write the confrontation between her and Usagi—it will be so much more intense than any of the others :)

**reina shirahime: **Haha I just absolutely _love_ writing scenes with Trowa, his character absolutely fascinates me and I've always assumed he'd be somewhat amusing in his blatant-like attitude. I also found his response to Rei in this chapter highly amusing. I hope you enjoyed it as much as the last!

**TristaDin:** I am SO excited to introduce Duo's character. I think revolutionary fits him to a T in this story. The whole thing has a crazy background that includes Usagi (oh snap!) that is just utterly ridiculous. He becomes really important later on in the story :) Thank you for your appreciation of my character portrayal! Not so good this chapter (Makoto and Rei are a little too flighty for me, I suppose) but I promise it will get better again.


	4. Revelations

**Toxic**

**Chapter Three: Revelations**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

The whole room smelled dank; pitted seeds in one corner, drying into conventional game pieces, while water barely marred the stone walls caving to compose his prison. He'd gotten used to the shivering by now, it was an unfortunate norm that caused his muscles to contract continuously and his jaw ache from the strain of keeping his teeth from chattering. Despite its frequent chill, he liked Crystal Tokyo in the dark more than he did during the daylight.

When the structures glittered and shimmered with the day's light it showed only the ostentatious glow of a city with superfluous gaudiness and a population that followed mindlessly the words of an incompetent queen. At night, the moon instead revealed the streets littered with garbage, shadows cast hauntingly across mannequin chests, morphing a preferred perfect body with a blank, unseeing face into a dangerously slim body jilted into a contorted position. It took off the mascara of a scarred city and left it bare in the distinct fashion of a schoolgirl who doesn't look good without make-up.

When he heard the sound of light feet on the steps leading to his captivation cell he had to admit he was surprised. It was extremely rare to have nighttime visitors and, in his entire experience locked up, he'd only ever had one before. It was bound to be that exact same person.

His visitor reached his cell and he heard their body slump against the wooden door. Yes, he thought, stilling his chattering teeth, it was her. He heard her sigh heavily, banging the back of her head slightly on the door. He could mentally imagine her mouthing curses, slighting herself for daring to come see him. He could only imagine her soft skin, draped only in a silk night dress across naked breasts and bare legs…

"To what do I owe your company?" he asked, catching himself before he let his mind wander down lewd avenues, a little lane he'd discovered after he rarely saw human bodies.

She banged her head on the door again and he heard her shuffle uncomfortably. It was amazing how much you could hear where people rarely treaded. There was a slight echo, and he'd become used to listening to nothing. This made any little noise like a blaring horn and any movement like an earthquake. Duo could almost swear he could hear her thudding heart in her chest, the blood surging methodically throughout veins and ventricles.

"Why am I here?" she asked herself, trying to forget that he was simply on the other side of the door. She was drawn to him like a butterfly to a lamplight. It was like she was genetically attracted to him, not necessarily emotionally but she liked to be near him. Usually she refrained from seeing him, and only once before had she ever been so tempted as now to visit his cell.

Duo snorted, rolling over on his, if you could call it one, bed, "Because whether you like it or not you're attracted to me."

He could hear her tiny gasp and smirked, knowing that there was nothing she could really do to him. "I am—"

"An attraction is something nobody can get over. It doesn't mean you're in love with me or that you want to spend the rest of your life with me. It's simply the fact that there's something about me you find interesting, charismatic perhaps." He was silent for a moment, letting her simmer over his explanation. "Maybe even handsome." He wished he could see her face, and though he couldn't actually see her, his prediction that her cheeks had reddened and her lips puckered uncomfortably was spot on.

"Or maybe," he began, all childishness set aside and a sudden fury surfacing in his chest, "It's the fact that I'm one of the only people who will tell you the truth about yourself."

She placed her head in her hands, running her fingers through her hair and wondering just how his words struck such a chord with her. He was right, though. He was so straightforward and so on point it was hard not to seek his harsh yet comforting words. Duo let her know her faults, what she needed to fix and she used the humiliation to fuel her job.

Her silence let him know she wanted him to continue. Propping his head up on his hand he turned and faced the door, knowing that that was his only way of remotely communicating with her—through a wooden barrier.

"You know, the girls who bring my food are quite chatty. And apparently you and your friend are quite loud when you argue."

Before she could stop them, tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. She wiped them away furiously with her arm and glared at the door, as if that would do much harm. "It wasn't an argument."

"Not completely verbally," he agreed and disagreed.

She huffed from behind the door and he chuckled.

"To be frank, you kind of suck at your job."

She swallowed harshly. "I beg your par—"

"No, no," he sighed, cutting her off with a wave of his hand. "Not your official job." He rubbed his eyes and let his head fall back onto his makeshift pillow. "Your friendship duty." She was silent and he read volumes from that. "You know, silence is louder than words." Again she said nothing. He turned over in his bed, ready to go back to sleep. He heard her stand and let her go, knowing that she would return. But he didn't let her leave without a few parting words.

"Quiet nights breed quiet stars. Don't fuck up a whole country just because you can't get your act together."

Her tiny feet pattered quickly down the stairs.

* * *

Mamoru sat awake in his bed, wondering silently where his wife had disappeared to in the middle of the night.

* * *

Sometimes when it all falls down, when the superficial glue that holds together a crumbling relationship dissolves, it's best, for the moment, to be by yourself. Minako understood this concept and wholeheartedly accepted it. Her feet wandered for awhile of their own accord, stopping at this place or that, admiring some scene or another. They eventually carried her willing body outside into the gardens behind the palace where geraniums mixed with mums and tiger lilies contrasted against the hibiscus. It was where pea vines curled with ambition along the metal, checkered structures sanctioned to be their support, where strawberries hung hidden beneath weighted leaves and raspberries coiled to formulate pink clusters of luscious fruit bundled heavy on purple, thorn-ridden stems. It was where cherry trees and pear trees were neighbors, the orange and apple trees just across the street. It was where willows and maples intertwined in a dance proposed by the wind, where polk trees could let their poisonous purple berries linger, and dogwoods and forsythias were separated only by the ever ephemeral burning bushes.

Minako's favorite spot, however, was a wide redwood bench flanked by roses and irises, the back portion cuddling with lantanas and black eyed susans. It was a true haven, a little hideout where stressful thoughts were replaced with entwining perfumes of the myriad of foliage that perpetuated its existence. She sat down, the ridges in the bench welcoming her home and the wind blew a lantana stem to pat her shoulder in condolence. Minako inhaled deeply and leaned back, closing her eyes and letting the black eyed susans brush her cheeks in a comforting gesture.

Her head was a mess, it was cluttered with contrasting ideas, with thoughts of doubt and anger, with emotions of sadness and nervousness, as well as the physical inputs of a continuously racing heart and slight illness. How had they fallen so far? How had the once unstoppable Sailor Senshi separated into different branches of selfishness? She gave a sigh and looked out over the landscape of the gardens and was surprised to see a figure wending its way along the stone ridden pathway. Minako had to admit she wasn't quite surprised to see that it was Wufei. He had that strange, uncanny ability to always know where she was.

"And to what do I owe your lovely company?" she teased as he sat next to her on the bench. At first he didn't answer, didn't even make a sound as she turned her inquiring eyes to his still body. When she took in his appearance her eyebrows shot into her hairline. "Your hair," she almost exclaimed, hand twitching with the urge to do something she didn't know. "It's shorter."

Wufei didn't even shrug, his posture perfect and his hands folded neatly in his lap. "It was bothersome," was his only response and Minako nodded, only slightly put off when she didn't feel the usual twist of annoyance in her gut at the sound of his voice. Perhaps it was because for once it was not him backhanding her orders or perpetuating the rift of egos between them. Perhaps it was because he was being civil--and so was she.

She looked down to her own long locks and gave an understanding nod. Picking up a bundle she rubbed it between her long fingers. "I know what you mean."

The lantanas patted her shoulder again in an unknown gesture and Minako turned towards it, inhaling the sweet scent that accompanied the fiery colored flowers. "I love this place," was the only thing she could think of to stir up the silence between them.

"I don't," was his quick response.

At first she frowned towards him, thinking he was merely trying to set her on edge but when she took in the way he was sitting--rigid, perfect, alert--Minako could tell that he truly looked uncomfortable. She felt that this was the one place she could unwind, take her shoes off and feel something tangible beneath her feet. She wondered how the enchanting allurement of the gardens could possibly translate into anything besides peace, calm, and serenity. "Why?" she dared to ask.

His answer was quick and precise again. "Because approximately seventeen steps north of here there is a cluster of red roses entwined with white roses."

Minako didn't quite understand. "So?"

This time he turned to her and, though it was nearly dark outside, Minako could see his charcoal colored eyes almost perfectly. "Putting red and white flowers together is bad luck." At her confused look he turned away and looked out towards the palace. It was alighted like fire, lights refracting through the crystal and sending patterned shapes across the ground. "But not only that," he said formally, uncrossing his fingers and placing his hands on his thighs, using the leverage to push himself up from the seated position. "It's the fact that everything is for show. There aren't the simple things like daisies or lavender. There are no essentials like herbs; sage, thyme, or rosemary. There are no vegetables," he said, holding out his hand, "only fruit."

When Minako stared at him in wonderment, letting his oddly assertive and even more so pithy words sink in, Wufei took her silence and explained why he was there in the first place. "There's been a serious disturbance and the Queen requires our audience."

Minako, still focused on the perceptiveness of his critique, blinked suddenly in confusion. "What?" she asked, taking his hand and rising to her feet. The once proclaimed haven now seemed flashy and fake. Oh how she wished he hadn't pointed out the now obvious pretentiousness of the swanky gardens. Who put mums next to geraniums or irises by lantanas? It all seemed noisy now, clustered like the easel of a three year old with painted colors thrown in any which direction.

"A meeting is being held," he said, beginning a slow stroll back towards reality. "We are required to attend."

Minako hesitantly followed, her brain switching from relaxation mode into guard mode; events and responsibility crashing back in a torrent of ache. "A meeting?" she asked, walking a little quicker to catch up to him. "At this hour?" he nodded. "With whom?--besides the Queen, I mean."

His back was turned to her when he answered and she was glad that he was not able to see the shock and partial grief that momentarily marred her appearance and gripped at her body with his following words. "With the director of Black Ops, a few choice others, and your fellow Senshi."

A fury so red hot and so foreign ran through her body and colored her cheeks as she nearly stopped walking. Wufei noticed her slowed steps and turned to face her. He had to admit that he was legitimately surprised when her face looked angry. "I have no fellow Senshi," she said lowly, and Wufei could hear the shakiness to her voice. Whether it was anger or partial sorrow, however, he could not tell. "Thus I would appreciate it if you would not call them so."

Wufei watched her for a moment, studying how her body reacted to the mention of her former friends. What could turn her against such a well oiled, well working group? Her face was flushed and her body was tense, her fists clenching and unclenching. He'd been on the receiving end of this look many times but for some reason the fire that ran through her now seemed more fueled by hurt than anger and frustration.

"Understood," he nodded, turning and continuing back along the path towards the palace. When he heard the slow but steady footsteps following behind him he almost sighed. While he wished that this meeting would be all business there was no doubt in his mind that, to put it simply, some shit was going to go down.

* * *

Wufei reached out to open the doors to the conference room. His hand, however, paused on the brass knob and he turned to his coworker. She looked at him anxiously, put on edge that he hadn't opened the door and nervous of how she would react when he did. Their eyes met and Wufei's look hardened as he took his hand slowly from the door. "Listen," he said softly, keeping a low voice so that those already gathered inside could not hear them, "you have to be civil--"

"Oh don't lecture me, Wufei, I'm not going to pout like a kid or start a fight or anything," she chastised, placing her hands deftly on her hips. "It's not like--"

"I only say this," Wufei cut her off, placing his hand up to silence her, "because the fact of the matter is that your emotions are not in check." She opened her mouth to refute that but Wufei kept his hand up. "Look at you," he said, waving his hand to show off her stance, "you're tense, obviously nervous and angered, and your head is still a mess from yesterday morning."

Minako looked away in partial shame. She didn't want to think of the spat she got into with _Usagi. _It made her heart leap and the once confident demeanor that she was going to use as her crutch faded into oblivion. In fact, she felt as if she wanted to cry again. Her eyes wetted and she looked away, profusely blinking as Wufei grabbed her arm tightly.

"Pull yourself together, Minako," he said. The way it physically came out of him was harsh but the tone in which he said it was firm and supportive. "You're the one they need." He took his hand from her arm and Minako felt as if the once returning stability he'd given her began to fade with his touch. When he placed his hand on the doorknob to open it her heart pattered uncomfortably in her chest.

Wait, what did he mean that she was the one they needed?

The doors creaked open and all eyes turned in their direction, but Minako's blue irises were trained only on Wufei's now stoic form. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back and his eyes remained foreward, only on their queen. She couldn't tear her almost astonished eyes from him.

In her emotional state she had yet to realize that he was actually _comforting_ her. He'd been kind, in his own strange sort of way, and had tried to give her advice. When had the resigned and detached Wufei ever cared about her wellbeing? Was he only doing it so that she wouldn't embarrass him at this meeting? And what on _crystal earth_ had he meant by 'you're the one they need'?

It took her a moment to realize that everyone in the room was staring at her, except for Wufei who was bent obediently at the waist, giving his honor to his queen. Blinking out of her hazy daze Minako too bowed and the two took their positions by the side of Neo-Queen Serenity.

Minako could feel her palms getting sweaty within her gloves as she looked out at the people cluttered around the entirety of the room. They sat at a long wooden table, each side flanked by an assemblage of chairs, featuring the symbol of the moon decoratively carved into its middle.

On one side sat Rei. Her outrageously gorgeous looks withstood the years but she seemed different for some reason; Meek in a strange sort of way. On her right were Haruka and Michiru, the former positioned comfortably in her chair, leaning back with the same short cropped hair and smug yet bored smirk on her lips, the latter sitting politely with her hands in her lap and her ankles crossed daintily.

Directly across from them on the other side of the table was a women Minako was only able to identify as the director of Black Ops; Sally Po. She saw out of the corner of her eyes that Wufei gave her a slight nod and she responded with a smirk and a nod of her own. The mysteries of her partner continued as Minako wondered how the two knew each other. Standing behind the director were two people; one Minako recognized as Agent Noin, an escort she took with her frequently, the other was a tall, brown haired male who looked at her with the strangest, most analytical eyes that had been set on her body since Wufei first met her.

To her left were Makoto and Ami, both looking nearly the same as they had when Minako had last seen them. Ami's hair was perhaps a little longer and she looked more laid back, her seating position hardly as polite as Michiru's. Makoto had grown her bangs longer and her hair was braided instead of in her high school ponytail. She looked the same as ever in meeting situations, arms crossed and a frown on her face. In fact she looked unusually unnerved, her eyes shooting angry glances at the man standing behind Sally Po.

The meeting began but Minako only paid half attention. The director of Black Ops mentioned that someone had broken into her office and left a calling card of sorts, reading 'First Victim.' She'd sent it down to forensics to pull any prints and one was found, belonging to an Ernie Down; American born, 6'2", just turned 30, and recently murdered.

After that Ami and Makoto picked up, relating to their queen their information from Crystal Services. They'd found the body in an alleyway, resting naked with bleeding eyes. Upon further investigation they found that he was a coyote, someone who exploited those who went to Crystal Tokyo illegally. Ami had pulled the smokers patch from his arm and found that he'd been poisoned. She'd found traces of fludrocortisones in it. His blood pressure had skyrocketed, which in turn led to a heart attack and the increase in vascular pressure was what had caused his eyes to bleed.

Makoto rolled her eyes at Ami's fervent enthusiasm. She then took out of a small evidence bag a letter. "The reason we requested to see you so enthusiastically was not some haphazard connection between Black Ops and Crystal Services. It's this letter, uh, Neo-Queen Serenity," she looked unsure of what she should call her, the last time she spoke to the queen having called her Usagi.

Minako felt a slight pang when _Usagi_ did nothing to stop her, but a sour look crossed her face.

Makoto continued. "It's in…" she gave a wary look to Sally Po and her agents, only briefly wondering why they were really there. "Uh, well, you can see for yourself," she said and Minako watched as Wufei glared at her unprofessionalism.

Neo-Queen Serenity opened the letter and her confused look was replaced with instant shock. "It's in Lunarian!" she exclaimed, small pink lips open in astonishment.

Minako, who'd been staring dutifully out at the table, blinked and whipped her head around to face her queen. Her legs moved of their own accord and she stood directly next to _Usagi_. Her heart pattered with renewed nervousness as she saw that it was in fact written in Lunarian.

"Um…" Makoto looked uncomfortably at the director of Black Ops.

Neo-Queen Serenity raised her hand. "It's alright, she knows."

"And her agents?" Haruka asked sternly, glaring only slightly at the two position behind Sally Po. Wufei and Minako both turned a sharp eye to her rudeness. It was impolite to address the queen as so.

Sally Po answered for her. "Understand what they are hearing and know to keep what happens in this room," she gave Haruka a steady stare, "in this room."

The shorthaired blonde didn't seem all that convinced but let it slide for lack of a need for confrontation.

Rei continued in Makoto's stead. "Makoto found that letter at the crime scene. They came to one of our," she paused, "I mean Haruka's and Michiru's concerts and showed the letter to us, fearing that our time of intergalactic peace is over." Neo-Queen Serenity looked grim. "The only beings that know that you're from the moon are us," she waved her hand around the table, "and youma."

Before anyone could respond, Ami cut it. "While I agree that it is most likely a youma, I believe that it's working under the guise of a human."

The queen looked confused and she explained further.

"Ernie Down's fingerprints were also found on the letter. My theory is that it simply slipped from his hand, being placed there by his killer, in this case, a youma. But since when do otherworldly beings who are capable of stealing energy, taking Star Seeds, and looking into dreams, worried about killing someone via poison?"

Ami ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "Plus, the calling card left in Ms. Po's office read 'First Victim', which obviously means that there's going to be more. Since when does a youma leave a calling card in the spirit of a serial killer, and since when does a serial killer know how to write in Lunarian? I think we've got a twisted case on our hands…" she placed her finger in her mouth and chewed on the nail.

Neo-Queen Serenity nodded at Ami's astute breakdown of the case. "Here's how things will start off. None of these changes are permanent, but being faced with such a highly secretive position there's not much more we can do." Minako and Wufei looked at each other questioningly across their queen.

"Rei, Haruka, and Michiru," the three looked up, awaiting their orders. "I want you three moved back into the palace where we can all be alert. Your duties are night watch."

"But what about our jobs?" Haruka questioned, sitting precariously on her chair. She couldn't bear to think of losing her music.

Neo-Queen Serenity looked grim. "If you truly had though that way, Haruka, you would not have come here in the first place."

Haruka gripped her chair arms mercilessly but didn't fully right herself in her chair. Her jaw was set and a frown marred her face but she knew on the inside that what had been said was correct.

The queen continued. "Ami and Makoto, I want you transferred to Black Ops." Makoto looked elated, not keeping her excitement hidden. Ami looked indifferent. "Director Po, I want you to continue with your job as if nothing otherworldly has happened, keep your agents in rank. However, anything pertaining to this case is to be taken care of by Agent Noin, Agent Yuy, Ami, and Makoto. They will comprise this Black Ops team."

Makoto's once happy demeanor diminished instantly at the thought of having to work with Heero Yuy. She would rather be suffering at Crystal Services than be in his presence continuously.

"Minako, Wufei," she said softer to the two standing beside her. "You two will remain at your posts and help with further developments of the case when need be," she turned to Rei, Haruka, and Michiru, "as will you three."

Without another word she stood and walked from the room, Minako and Wufei right behind her. Minako made eye contact only with Michiru, who gave her a small smile. Gulping, the blonde tore her eyes away and kept them trained on the back of Wufei's head.

When they'd cleared the door that left everyone to exit the room in various degrees of happiness and anger.

* * *

Quatre walked down the street, food filled bags draping his arms. He sighed in slight boredom, wondering when Haruka and Michiru would come back from their meeting. They hadn't exactly told him where they were going, only that it was of dire importance and that he was to go grocery shopping.

The blonde rolled his eyes slightly and paused when the street sign told him not to cross. He'd been standing for only a moment when he noticed a slightly familiar face strolling down the sidewalk.

He was bundled in a sweatshirt to barely conceal a healing black eye. He walked slowly and seemingly without purpose as he watched people pass him quickly or those sitting at outdoor cafés. Quatre was about to call out to him in near confusion when Trowa turned his head, feeling that strange tingle that he was being watched.

The two made eye contact, not quite sure whether to say something or act like nothing had happened. When was the last time they had spoken? When was the last time they had seen each other? People passed them, the crosswalk turned to urge Quatre to the other side but his feet dared not to move.

Trowa looked at him in confusion, wondering how exactly he knew the blonde haired man. He looked so familiar…

A large group of tourists past in front of them, momentarily cutting off Quatre's vision of his old time friend. When the group had passed, the brunette was nowhere to be found. Quatre looked to his right and to his left, realizing slowly that his only company now were the bags leaving red marks on his arms.

Why had Trowa looked so hesitant, so confused to see him?

"Hmm," the blonde mumbled quickly, crossing the street quickly in an effort to reach the apartment, hoping to relieve his arms of the heavy bags and his mind of formulating questions.

* * *

Okay, I know I promised that some characters would get more spotlight in this chapter but this idea sort of popped into my head and I just ran with it. Next chapter will be chalk full of Ami, Quatre, Trowa, and Duo. Plus I think I'm going to add just a tad bit more of Mamoru, he becomes kind of important later on in a weird sort of way.

**reina shirahime: **Yes, I thought the part with Heero and Makoto was amusing too, Heero being pretty bold to grab at her like that. Rei's whole willingness will be explained later on and we've already seen a little breakdown of Usagi, so her qualms with the Senshi will come soon. The fireworks will come with her interaction with Rei :) Thanks for the review!

**Requiem of Fire:** Your praise goes far and beyond of what I deserve but I wholeheartedly thank you for your kind words :) Your writing is fabulous as well! I had lots of fun writing the scene between them, both Rei and Trowa are just so much fun to write. Thank _you _for updating WLoM, I truly adore that story, and thank you for your too kind review!

**TristaDin:** I revealed a little of the background in this chapter, nothing so groundbreaking but it was a start. Trust me, there's much, _much_ more to unveil. You're right about people getting out of character but I chastise myself for getting too ambitious sometimes. I pride myself in character development and when it turns pushy like the last chapter I feel disappointed. Only thing is I'm far too lazy/busy to go back and fix it. Plus my FFDN days are almost over and I'd like to get this story out before it finally comes to an end. I'm glad you laughed at the Heero/Quatre part! I found it highly amusing as well, I just love making fun of Heero :) Thanks for you feedback!

**TopazDragon:** That chapter was pretty juicy, eh? I hope this one was just as luscious for you, haha. What it says will be revealed next chapter and you're pretty much correct on the whole necklaces thing. Again, further elaboration will come later—as you've probably figured out by now I'm not one to just out and say bam! This is what these are! Sometimes I just want to bring Setsuna and Hotaru in right away but then I have to stop, tell myself to breathe, and that they will come in due time. I just get so anxious that its hard to prevent things like the Makoto/Heero interaction. And yes, _plenty_ of angst, drama, and hurt are in the very near future, some of it already evinced in Minako's feelings. Thank you for your comments!


	5. Second Guessing

**Toxic**

**Chapter Four: Second Guessing**

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

With a gasp, Minako jolted from her bed. Her mind raced with the revelation and her heart pumped with excitement to reveal the truth to her co-worker. She whipped the covers off of her in a flurry of patterned red and gold and skipped quickly to her bathroom, washing and brushing as quickly as her hands dared to imagine. When her face and teeth were sparkly clean she dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt before transforming into Sailor Venus.

She rushed from her room in a flurry, letting her feet carry her quickly to a room that was not too far from her own. She and Wufei kept close quarters to the queen, their rooms flanking the large master room that _Usagi_ and her husband occupied.

She skidded to a halt at his door, knowing that, since it was seven o'clock in the morning, that he was probably in the middle of his morning meditation—something he absolutely loathed being interrupted in.

But this couldn't wait.

"Wufei!" she called, banging her fists on his door, continuing the pounding when he didn't answer. She knew he was in there, it just took the proper amount of persistence to get him out of his meditative state and angrily answering the door. "Wufei! Open up!" she called again, banging repetitively on his door. "Wufei!"

Her fist most nearly hit him in the face when his door was torn up and a red faced Wufei glared what could nearly be described as daggers her way. "What do you want, woman?!" he sneered, gripping the side of the door so fiercely his muscles stayed flexed.

Minako, used to this, held her hands out with a bright smile and blurted what she'd wanted to say since she awoke that morning.

"Peas!" she squealed, eyes wide with excitement as he looked at her incredulously.

"Peas?"

"Peas!"

"_That_ is what made you interrupt my meditation, why you're banging on my door and screaming like a banshee?"

Minako pouted for a moment. "I was not squealing like a banshee."

He was obviously far too irritated, quite the opposite from the understanding man he'd been the night before, and not in the mood for her banter. "What about _peas_," he seethed.

Minako smiled whole-heartedly this time. "Last night you told me you didn't like the gardens because of its gaudiness, because it lacked essentials, because it was only fruit." She was silent for a moment, as if waiting for him to confirm, which he did impatiently.

"_And?"_

Minako clapped her hands together. "But there are _peas_ in the gardens! Those are vegetables!" So her gardens weren't just for show, they weren't all of those horrible things he'd called them the day before. That green, leafy hideaway could still remain her haven, her happy place to think. Besides, though not very practical, she thought that lantanas next to irises were a gorgeous contrast of orange and purple.

Her bubbly and outwardly happy nature was enough to calm Wufei's irritation and he looked at her with a small smirk. "Peas," he huffed out gruffly.

"Peas!" she laughed. When the giggles subsided she ran a hand through her long, loose hair. "I was about to get some breakfast, want to come?"

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and reel them back and immediately her bubbles fizzed away, her cheeks now sporting a rouge stain. Maybe it was just her being overzealous in their newfound tolerable friendship, maybe it was her brain not thinking from her amazing discovery, or maybe perhaps it was the fact that he was wearing no shirt…

His own stone-like look returned and he took a step back from his doorway. He jabbed a thumb towards the sun-lit neatness of his room. "I'm going to finish my—"

She waved a hand, not wanting him to completely articulate his rejection. "Yeah! Yeah, sorry I forgot, morning meditation, right? Well see you around!" she said before scurrying away. When she rounded the corner she slammed the heel of her hand into her forehead. What on crystal earth was wrong with her? _See you around?_ They worked and lived in the same palace! Of course she would see him! And _oh my goodness_, breakfast? Since when were they even friends? Was it not only two days ago that she abhorred him with a fiery passion?

_You're not in high school anymore, Minako! _She chastised herself, her heels shamelessly announcing her quick and embarrassed steps down the marble hallway.

Wufei watched her go with a mixture of emotions. One, for sure, was confusion. She'd seriously just banged on his door to tell him that he'd been wrong in announcing that there was only fruit in the gardens? Another emotion was annoyance. He'd been meditating silently when she'd rudely come interrupting the silent serenity that encapsulated his room.

But, whether he liked it or not, he knew that he had a soft spot for Minako. He'd never admit it aloud, but he knew it and was man enough to admit it to himself. He wasn't quite sure what it was, or how or when it had developed, not yet brave enough to dwell on the fact that he harbored some sort of emotions for a woman whom he usually detested.

Maybe he shouldn't have turned down her breakfast invitation…shaking his head he stepped farther into his room; no, he had to finish his meditation. Plus she would probably just talk his ear off about those damned peas. Why had he even thought of joining her in the first place? Why was he still standing half garbed in his doorway?

Giving an annoyed sigh Wufei closed his door and walked back to a patch of sunlight that infiltrated through his windows. Sitting, he placed his hands in his lap and closed his eyes.

…but the concentration never came. His mind kept drifting elsewhere, much to his displeasure. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew that he didn't tell her that peas were biologically a fruit to keep her from stooping into that emotionally restrained state she postured the day before. He worked better with a smiling Sailor Venus than a depressed one.

And that was the excuse he was going with.

* * *

She'd smelled the combination before. It was a putrid stench, though one that attracted and drew the lips of millions of humans to its treacherous grasp. She knew the chemical breakdown, the components that amalgamated to produce a poison so known, so cultivated, and so sought after that it infected the heart and lungs of the masses.

Ammonia, arsenic, and hydrogen cyanide.

Cigarette smoke.

It plumed around her face and tickled her nostrils, curls of it licking her cheeks in an almost intimate gesture. It righted her senses, brought her from hazy to cognizant over a few slow moments.

Ami opened her eyes slowly in accordance to her pupil's ability to adjust to the light of the room. Squinting, she pressed the heel of her palms firmly to the sockets, rubbing with a certain amount of vigor pertaining to the amount of irritation in each eye.

She felt exhausted. Director Po had kept her and Makoto awake all night, introducing them to protocol, giving Makoto a desk near agents Noin and Yuy and clearing out one of the many forensics labs that Black Ops harbored for Ami herself.

"Are you sure all of this is necessary?" Ami could remember asking, politely.

Director Po had looked serious when she answered sternly, "I find all precautions associated with our current debacle obligatory, Mizuno-san. Thus you obtaining your own lab to keep this a covert op is part of a necessary procedure that we must take," before walking away.

Ami had given a two-fingered mock salute towards her disappearing back and had muttered a solid, "understood," under her breath.

Now she awoke to the same room Director Po had given them to sleep in at five o'clock that morning. It was a conference room, one with a multitude of windows, only a select few able to be opened. Obviously it was not a room where important meetings were held, seeing as how a horde of other buildings housing ledges for various snipers flanked the edifice of the Black Ops headquarters. She'd expected to wake in the afternoon after the uneasy sleep she'd been forced into but with a glance to her watch Ami saw that it was nine o'clock in the morning.

She gave a mild mannered groan and ran weary fingers through her now shaggy mop. Four hours of sleep was not what she needed at a time like this. Her tiredness was not the only thing that irritated her at the moment but that ever bothersome cigarette stench coming from somewhere to her left.

Looking up she was surprised to see Makoto leaning precariously out of one of the windows. The brunette looked as tired as Ami felt, her mouth sporting that poisonous white, lollypop-like stick. She pulled it away from her lips using her fore and middle finger with careful precision, turning her head to the right to exude a cloud of noxious smoke from her mouth. Giving the cigarette a tiny tap the ashes floated disparately in their own right into the wind that tossed her friend's hair, mingling her curls with the coiling smoke exuding from the now parked cigarette.

And like washing her hair she rinsed and repeated.

Having devoutly hated smoking, knowing just what harm it did to its knowing victims, Ami had never really pictured inhaling a possibly fatal substance as a sort of art form. But Makoto made it look pretty, like she melted with the smoke, hazy lines dissolving and reappearing with each inhale and exhale.

Said girl used one bare foot to scratch her bare calf, still garbed in the shirt and skirt she'd worn the day before, and propped her head up on one of her fists. Ami never thought she looked more picturesque; like a girl from a 60's movie.

"I thought you quit smoking."

Ami almost looked around surprised, wondering briefly where and whom that question had come from. It took a moment of recovery from the sudden break in the silence to realize that it was her own voice that blurted it out.

In surprise Makoto dropped the cigarette out of the window and flung around to face her friend, face flush and eyes bugging as if she'd been caught in the middle of a naughty deed. When she realized it was only Ami she put a hand to her chest and exhaled sharply, a plume of smoke exuding as a consequence.

Ami waved her hand fervently in front of her face in disgust to keep the smoke away from her. "Second hand smoke kills, Mako-chan."

After recovering from the jolt of surprise Makoto waved her hand in front of her face and gave a "psht" look. "Nonsense Ami, you stay away from smoke like it's the plague."

Ami gave a grunt, tired and annoyed and really not in the mood for Makoto's teasing antics. "Yes, which is why I would appreciate it if you didn't smoke around me," she said moodily, resting her head on her clenched fist.

Makoto caught the drift with a raised eyebrow. Shrugging her shoulders she pulled out one of the plush chairs and sat heavily, propping her legs up in the table.

"But really though, when did you start smoking again?"

Ami watched with interest as her friend looked away in a huff of embarrassment. Her cheeks reddened, one hand attaching itself behind her head.

"Uh, well, I only do it sporadically. You know, when I'm really stressed."

Ami gave her a look that read disappointment and pity, too tired to even try and mask the facial features she knew Makoto hated. Immediately the brunette's look became serious and laced with trace amounts of disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that," she commanded, looking at the bluenette out of the corner of her eye.

Despite the sharp look Ami was hardly rattled by it, having been on the end of that look of condemnation far too many times to count. She rolled her eyes and let her mind drift to the previous day. A small smile graced her lips when she remembered the faces of all of the Senshi, her long lost friends. The smile faded, however, when she remembered exactly just how distant they'd all been. Nothing really seemed the same since Usagi became queen…

"Say," Ami mentioned, Makoto glancing her way, her annoyance having dissipated with Ami's, " did you notice the looks Minako was giving us?" At Makoto's slightly confused look Ami tried to explain further when Agent Yuy walked through the door.

He threw two pieces of gum at them and barked orders. "Mizuno, Director Po wants you down in the lab analyzing the make up of that letter. Kino, you're with me and Agent Noin; another body's been found." And with those parting words he left the room, leaving only two scrambling girls and his commands.

They both rushed to the door, not being able to pass because the other was in the way. Face pressed to the door jamb Ami gave Makoto a harsh shove.

"Move! I need to get to my lab and those heels you're holding are sticking into my side!"

Makoto shoved her back, wiggling to try and get past her blue haired friend. "You move! I have to catch up to that bastard!"

With a final shove the both burst through the door, stumbling to catch their balance. Ami hobbled slightly to the right, gaining her balance and putting her shoes back on against the wall. Makoto nearly fell, tripping over her own feet as she speed walked after Heero. Only once she caught up to him did she dare to hop quickly while slipping on her shoes. With one foot secured in her pumps she hobbled awkwardly after him, popping the gum in her mouth and asking him to give her the low down.

He looked back at her in mild disgust, her once emphatic chewing slowing as she gave him an innocent look. She knew she looked like a wreck; her hair and clothes were in disarray, having slept on a carpeted floor, and she was standing awkwardly with one foot floating in the air, the other garbed in a heel. She stopped the pause by letting the floating foot fall to the ground, other leg bending slightly to accommodate, and placing her hands on her hips. "What are you—"

Heero turned with little patience and continued down the steps that led to the garage. "Come _on_," he commanded, annoyed.

Makoto, heart leaping in slight alarm, slipped her other heel on quickly and growled slightly, clopping clumsily down the stairs. "On your six, bitch," she mumbled, realizing only after she said it how voices carried in the stairwell.

"I heard that," he grumbled moodily. Makoto wondered if his night's sleep had been as bad as hers was or if he was like this every day. If the latter was true she was going to beg, no, _demand_ that Neo-Queen Serenity put her on night watch.

* * *

Rei had not had a good night's sleep. She remembered having a dream that made her wake in a cold sweat. She remembered her heart beating so quickly, adrenaline pumping like pistons through her veins, that she nearly felt nauseous. The wake was like a jolt, like when you have that dream that you trip and fall, impact bringing you from the state of REM to blearily roused in milliseconds.

What was strange, however, was the fact that Rei, instead of becoming alert and distraught, immediately fell back asleep. In the morning, however, she did not feel fully rested. Perhaps it was the day's stress—knowing that she was moving back into the palace the next day, the strange killer loose in Crystal Tokyo, and the fact that she was going to become nocturnal in the next few days—that made her have a nightmare.

What _truly_ made her skin crawl, however, was the fact that she could not remember one thing that happened in her dream. And something about it made her feel like that was bad. Very bad.

When she'd done her morning duties she grabbed her purse and headed out to enjoy the last moments of her freedom; she hadn't been ordered to arrive at the palace until mid afternoon. Her feet led her to a smoothie shop, her tongue craving the mixture of ice, mangos, strawberries, and raspberries. She took the drink outside and sat leisurely at an outside table.

Usually she would think that it was imperative to do mass amounts of things, squeezing activities that she wouldn't normally be able to do into one jam packed day. But when Rei truly thought about it, it wasn't the shopping, the movies, the bar singing that she was going to miss. It was the free time, the time to simply sit down and think and not have to search for or battle youma at a whim that she was really going to yearn for.

She wholly took in the sun and relished in the fruity sweetness of her smoothie—a delicious treat she was most likely not allowed in the palace.

At the thought of returning there her hand clenched unconsciously around her plastic cup, the fragile material letting out a snap of warning and causing her fingers to relinquish their grasp. If there was anything remotely like captivity it was being in that palace subject to a life of obsequious servitude and loneliness. It wasn't a loneliness easily described, it wasn't like she would literally be _alone_. She would be surrounded by the Royal Guard, the servants that maintained that palace, the frequently visiting politicians (that one she despised the most), and her…"friends".

But breathing the manufactured garden's air was nothing like the park. Getting food from the kitchen was nothing like getting food from the market. Bumping into a servant by accident and a person in a coffee shop were two completely different things. Humming silently to yourself was nothing like singing to a crowd, and making new friends was much better than reuniting with a group that hadn't communicated in years over a bad break up.

_That_ was the type of loneliness she now faced.

And it was _precisely _the reason they'd had their "big break up".

"It's not fair…" It was a childish expression to articulate but it was as close to the truth as she could get. Usagi once understood that, which is why she held fast to the notion, "if you love something, let it go". Neo-Queen Serenity, however, was not so keen to that idea.

"The price of those smoothies? I would have to agree. Ludicrous price, really."

Rei nearly jumped out of her seat, immediately turning around to face whoever would interrupt her musings with a red face full of irritation. When the shock of bright blonde hair and astoundingly blue eyes swiveled quickly into her vision her anger depleted some. That or perhaps the soft, joking smile he sported on his lips.

"Quatre," she nearly exclaimed as he walked around to a chair next to her at the outside table. He gave a soft, 'may I?' gesture and she nodded, an almost trance-like surprise on her face.

He sat and leaned back, one arm draped casually over the back of the chair, the other holding a plastic cup filled with delicious smoothie goodness, just like the one in her hand.

"You come here too?" she asked, eyeing him warily. Singing with Haruka and Michiru she'd learned that Quatre was a millionaire by birth. The way he carried himself and dressed, however, did not support this notion. Why was someone who could have their personal chef whip up a smoothie healthier and probably far better tasting than the one he held in his hand opt to buy the sweet, expensive (for people like her) smoothie he drank?

He caught onto her look and tone, having been on the end of ones similar far too many times to count. As if giving a secret, he leaned forward and whispered, "It's part of my cover. If I never go to normal places like this one, who will ever want to be my friend?"

Rei gave a small laugh and he settled back into his comfortable position. "Really though, just because I have money doesn't mean I like to seclude myself to the hoity-toity, high society bull shit. In fact, I try to stay away from it," he looked away for a moment, watching a mother settle her child into a stroller while he took a sip of his drink.

Rei crossed her legs and leaned back, oddly at ease with the violin player. "And why is that?"

Quatre turned his attention from the mother and her child back to Rei and looked at her for a moment. She couldn't tell if the shivers running up and down her back were from the breeze that just passed or the look he was giving her. It was steady and calm, but he nearly looked as if he could tell her everything about her own life. It had a quality beyond her knowledge and it was less the physical look he gave her but the feeling that tightened in her chest when he'd turned her way.

"Perhaps the same reason why you, Haruka and Michiru are reluctant to…_leave_," he articulated, leaving Rei with a heart pumping blood a mile a minute and a stone cold exterior. His small, gentle smile caused her skin to crawl with suspicion. She opened her mouth to say something but his voice topped hers with a quick finality.

"I used to love it, and sometimes I still do. It's nice to be a part of something that you know other ordinary people just can't be a part of," he gave her a pointed look and Rei swallowed a sip of her smoothie, the sugary, melty taste now causing her throat to burn with an unrivaled syrupiness that it made her stomach churn. It was either that or his insinuation that made her feel like she was going to throw up.

Rei kept her eyes on his calm and relaxed pose wondering just how much Haruka and Michiru had let on, or if they'd even let on at all. Her brain then began wondering just who the hell Quatre Winner really was.

"But you know," he continued, not in the least phased by her look, "it's also hard to be a part of something when you know that it's just not for you, that you really just don't belong." He looked back to the mother and smiled as she successfully got the child into the stroller and gave it a tiny 'boop' on the nose. The baby waved its arms erratically in excitement and gave a squeal of delight.

He sighed and turned back to Rei's murderous look, nearly grinning. "But there's also a feeling in me that I'm intrinsically part of it." He leaned forward now, as if to give some sage advice. "It's a part of me and I'm a part of it, whether I like it or not. I try to give it up, get away by coming to places like this," he ran his fingers through his hair, the bright sun making it seem blonder, perhaps, than it really was. "And I truly love this place, I do, and I'm more happy with it than I would be with one made by, oh I don't know, perhaps my personal chef?" he looked at Rei and noticed her blush, knowing that she'd been thinking that before. "But I know that there's a bigger and more important duty that I have to uphold somewhere else," he looked down to his watch, "ah, and precisely why I must leave you at this moment."

He stood, raising his drink as if in toast and said his parting words. "It was truly a delight getting to know you, Rei Hino. Enjoy the rest of your day," with a small nod and a soft smile he began to walk away.

He hadn't even taken three steps when the screech of Rei's chair signaled that she stood harshly. Her feet moved quickly and she grabbed his arm, giving it a slight tug, noticing that some eyes wandered her way, curious as to her actions. Lowly she asked firmly, "Who are you, Quatre?" Her grip on his arm loosened when she realized he wasn't going to just dart away. "How do you…why did you tell me all of this?" Her question was laced with a pleading air and she became immediately disgusted with herself over the sound of it.

He gave a chuckle and looked at her as if she were being silly. "Because you asked."

"But—"

"Rei." He cut her off. Quatre paused for a moment, frowning as if there was something else he wanted to say. They stood there silent for a moment, her wondering silently as to what he was going to spew in her direction this time, and him wondering just how to word what he wanted to say. "Don't take this the wrong way, but Haruka and Michiru told me you used to be, well…" his all-knowing façade slipped as he searched for the right word.

Despite her confusion and suspicion, Rei grinned. "What, a man-hater? Cold and aloof? A bitch?"

He laughed. "You said it, not me." The smile dissipated and he once again became more serious. "But yes, pretty much all three." Rei gave a snort. "But Rei, I'm not quite sure I've seen that side of you."

Rei let out a cynical laugh, turning her eyes away from Quatre and latching on to anything but him. "Oh she's still in there, alright." Rei could feel his eyes watching her, probing gently for answers. She heaved a heavy, almost sad sigh, one laced with the weight of confusion and years of words she'd wanted to say to someone. "But I'm different now."

There was something so vulnerable, so sad in the way she said it that Quatre took the hand of the arm she still loosely hung on to and grabbed her hand softly. She didn't seem to mind. "Rei, you don't have to be one or the other. There's not a mask you need to put up or a false gentle side you need to convey. All you have to be is you."

"But I don't know who that is!" she exclaimed, immediately slapping a hand over her mouth and looking at Quatre shocked, turning her head away in embarrassment and pulling her hand from his grasp. She couldn't handle this right now, not this humiliation in the middle of the sidewalk, she didn't even want to _think_ about the emotions he was bringing up. How could a man she'd just met delve this far into her emotional box? She was the only one with the key and it was as if he pried it from her fingers, gently albeit, and opened that insufferable box, the one she'd kept locked for so damn long.

She turned and began to walk away, the shame at her outburst and the dying need to stay away from any emotion that resided in her body far too great. Her feet took her quickly away as she shoved past the people on the sidewalk and pushed down a quieter road that led away from the loud mess of the area.

"Rei, wait!" she heard behind her and knew that Quatre was coming after her. She hated this. She didn't want to feel any emotions, didn't want to be in the middle of the drama she felt that she partially started herself. Why was she allowing her body and her mind to succumb to the _weakness,_ his _gentility_, the damned _sadness! _But she refused to break down, she refused to cry, refused to let it bubble within her body and ooze through her pores in a torrent of emotion.

No. She locked that box up quick, Quatre's hand no longer in control of the key. She pushed it all away, put it all back inside and reverted back to that mad, emotionless teenager she'd once been. She went back to the angered politicians daughter, the neglected child who vowed never to be taken advantage of, who admonished anyone who fell to the clutches of the species of men.

She spun around as Quatre arrived. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" she nearly spat.

He looked genuinely surprised for a moment, eyebrows shooting into his hairline, before he realized that she'd reined in her emotions, that she was trying to evaluate the situation behind that scrutinizing mask that she could protect herself behind. His lips pursed for a moment and he touched her shoulder.

Rei felt her grip slipping on the key. It was as if he had a power over her, his touch taking away all that she'd worked to sustain, to hold back, to shelter and defend.

"Rei, don't try to—"

She tore her shoulder from his grasp and felt her control return. "Don't talk to me like you know me," she growled, "I just met you—"

"And if you're too stubborn and self righteous to see that everything you've just demonstrated is part of the problem then perhaps you deserve this schizophrenic persona you seem to have very little command over," he nearly yelled, frustrated.

Rei looked almost hurt for a moment, taking a step backwards.

Quatre sighed and ran a hand roughly through his hair once again. "I'm sorry," he said softly, closing his eyes tightly in annoyance at his own actions before opening them and looking at her. "I'm sorry, it's just that your anger is affecting me."

She looked on her guard. Even more so, however, she looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Quatre ran a hand over his face and shook his head. He waved his hand as if to push that subject aside and said, "Never mind." Feeling that his was heading in the absolute wrong direction he gave a small chukle. Idle chitchat turns to fury fueled yelling.

"Why are you doing this Quatre?"

Her question caught him off guard and he turned to her in surprise. Her eyes were genuinely sad and the gorgeous, deep amethyst that encapsulated her iris caused the frustration and anger to wash away from his mind.

"You don't even know me," she pointed out again.

He sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "You're right, I don't know you. Perhaps I'm just trying to perform my civilly humane duties, trying to be that 'Mr. Nice Guy'." He gave her a serious look. "Or perhaps I realize that if you can't express how you feel to friends you've claimed to know for most of your life, then maybe you need a third-party-non-involved figure to wind down and tell before you have to leave."

There was another reason why he was trying so hard but at this moment but Quatre could hardly explain how her unbridled efficacy during her performance had attracted him to her.

Rei didn't respond to his assumption.

"They didn't tell me where you guys were going."

For a moment Rei became cautious, not exactly sure how to explain to him that she, well, couldn't really tell him.

"But they did say that they were going to rejoin some old friends for awhile." He could see that Rei's unease visibly lifted. "Reluctant as they may be." Rei almost grunted. "And as you may be." At this she looked away. "But they also called you an old friend, Rei." She looked at him, confused.

Quatre smiled. "If you can dig up the guts to willingly sing with them, Rei, then perhaps you have a yearning deep down to actually see all of these old friends." He reached out and touched her shoulder and this time she did not pull away. "Maybe it won't be as bad as you think."

Rei felt as if she'd lost her voice. Her mind was whirring with a hurricane of questions, emotions, and confusion that it couldn't function to manufacture words. She was almost literally stunned into silence.

With a grin he leaned down and kissed her cheek, lingering there to give her his last few words.

"You, Haruka and Michiru do not have to tell me why you're leaving or where you're going. Not all things need an explanation and not all people truly desire one. Good luck in the future, Rei." He pulled away and stepped back as if admiring a piece of artwork and Rei almost felt embarrassed.

"Who are you, Quatre Winner?" she asked again and he gave a hearty laugh.

"I'm your new friend," he said with a two fingered wave. "See you around, Rei," he said over his shoulder, walking out of the darker street and towards the busier, sun lit sidewalk. She didn't notice how dark the street was until the light embraced him in an almost angelic glow.

_Quatre Winner_, she thought in contemplation, bringing her hand up to unconsciously feel her cheek.

* * *

Trowa was quite aware that he was being followed. In fact, ever since he'd beaten McKinnley a few nights before he had the distinct feeling that someone had been keeping a close eye on him.

It was nearly sunset and he was annoyed with the watch dog feeling he'd been subjected to. He'd walked to the park, empty now of inhabitants and scurrying children. The sun gave the foliage a bronze glow and he turned around, waiting for that bronze to alight whoever had been keeping a close eye on him.

Trowa kept his hands stuffed in his pocket and rolled his shoulder, which was sore from sleeping in one of the multitude of back alley's Crystal Tokyo sported the night before. "You can stop following me," he said almost conversationally. "I already know you're there."

He saw a rustle a bit down the path and thought it strange that a young looking girl was walking his way. She had short, dark hair and a slim build that contrasted hugely against her fiercely dark purple eyes. Her walk was confident but her all black attire gave it a hindering effect. She paused three steps from him, hands comfortably at her sides and the sun's light melting into her pale skin. If anything she looked to be a creature of the night.

"You're who's been following me?" he said gruffly.

Her stance shifted only slightly. "I am," she said and Trowa couldn't help but think that her firm voice went more with her strong eyes than her frail looking body and alabaster skin. "I'm surprised you could tell."

Trowa nearly wanted to grunt but refrained from doing so. Instead he closed his eyes for a moment, and pondered just how to answer her question. How did he know she was following him? Instinct, perhaps an uncanny ability to tell when someone was following him? No, it was more like… "Your eyes were boring too hard into my back."

She let loose a small giggle that differentiated drastically from her usual voice. "Next time I'll tell them to lay off the intensity."

Trowa, unlike her, was not amused. He didn't really care about her questions, all he wanted was for her to answer his own. "Why are you following me?" he asked harshly, not really in the mood for infatuated girls or weird goth kids, whatever she was.

She smiled, her once innocent giggle fading into seriousness. "Trowa Barton, your services are needed."

Trowa's stance became more ready, more protective. She knew his whole name, she obviously knew much more about him than he knew about her. Perhaps she wasn't just some weird girl who had a thing for him. He should have known that from the way she looked at him before. There's no way that those eyes found him 'hunky'.

"Who are you?" he asked directly, taking his hands out of his pockets just in case. She could have been part of the underground ring. He'd fought girls before, some that looked almost as skinny as she did, who packed quite a damn punch. Maybe she was a part of McKinnley's crew here to take him down in honor of her friend.

Pssht, yeah right.

"My name is Hotaru Tomoe." The way she said her own name incited that there was something regal about her, something special that went along with her name. Maybe it was a title she upheld, for she looked for a moment as if she wanted to announce something else as her hands went to her hips. Instead she opted for, "And I am here to recruit you."

"Recruit me?" he asked, not quite liking where this was going. "Look kid, I go on my own, alright? I'm not trying to be a part of anyone's crew."

She almost laughed, he could tell. She placed a finger to her chin and looked to the sky, that same look teeming with amusement swimming in her eyes. "A crew?" the holding back didn't last long and she laughed. "I've never really thought of us as a 'crew' but I guess in a sort of basic term we are."

Trowa turned and began to depart. "Then leave me out of it." He waved over his shoulder. "See you."

He looked up from the ground only to notice that there was another woman standing in front of him. If that Hotaru character had sounded regal, the woman in front of him looked like a queen. She had long dark, dark green hair and was exactly as tall as he was. Her olive arms were crossed over her chest and her liquid blood colored eyes stared at him without any reserve. "I'm afraid, Mr. Barton, that you don't really have a choice."

If her look was regal than her voice was fit for queen of the planet. He froze where he was, not wanting to take a step towards her or a step back towards her friend.

"We're not here to try and hurt you or to," she gave a pointed look to the shorter girl over his shoulder, "necessarily recruit you."

"Then what do you want from me?"

"In the P.E. you harbored a specific set of skills. You don't know what they were and neither do I need to remind you of them because they fundamentally reside within your body."

"What," he questioned, "my ability to fight?"

"And more!" he heard over his shoulder from the smaller girl, Hotaru.

The older woman smiled. "Yes, and more." She became serious once more and looked him dead in the eyes. "We need you, and your friend over there, to help us."

Trowa was about to blatantly refuse when he caught onto her whole sentence. "What friend?" he said looking over to the waving short haired girl. She sure had changed attitudes when she wasn't being so serious. "I don't know her."

"Not Hotaru," the green haired woman said, pointing to a tree to her right. "Your blonde haired friend hiding behind that tree."

Trowa, confused, turned to where she pointed and watched as a sheepish looking blonde walked out from the tree. It was the one he'd seen before, the one who looked like he knew him. Trowa turned back to the green haired woman. "I don't know him."

Quatre smiled sadly. He'd seen Trowa walking when he'd exited his meeting. He'd wondered why the youth hadn't recognized him the other day and followed him. Now he realized that, since he'd had such a faulty memory in the P.E., it had been completely blitzed when the Great Freeze came around. Of course he wouldn't remember him.

But what exactly were these two women doing, and why did they require Quatre along with Trowa?

She smiled. "You used to." Trowa frowned and she continued. "You both are needed."

Quatre and Trowa looked at each other, the former confused, the latter even more so. He used to know this blonde guy? They hardly looked like they would ever, _ever_ be friends.

"Needed for what?" the asked at the same time, not really sure how to gage that particular development. They looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes before giving their full attention to the green haired woman.

She placed a hand to her chest. "My name is Setsuna. Hotaru and I, as well as the Queen of Crystal Tokyo and all of the creatures that reside on this Earth require your assistance."

Trowa was getting aggravated. Why wouldn't they just answer the damn question? "For what?"

Setsuna smirked. "To save the universe."

* * *

_Finally_ Hotaru and Setsuna are here! Now that everyone's been introduced I feel like I can really start to get things going. Hopefully this chapter cleared some things up, like why Rei so willingly went to sing with Haruka and Michiru, and what would happen to Quatre once they all had to leave. I had to debate for awhile whether or not to tell him that they were Senshi but I think it will make for a cooler revelation if he doesn't quite know yet.

I swear I'm going to start calling you guys my Fantastic Four, lol.

**reina shirahime:** The Minako/Wufei part made me smile too. I always feel like there's just so much more to his unfortunately butchered character that people just don't seem to see so I tried to show it a little bit in his interaction with Minako. Oh, and yes! Their new foe is quite interesting, I've got a quite a crazy idea for that one. I tried to hint at the whole Usagi thing but maybe I wasn't so clear; I specifically didn't name who was visiting Duo because I wanted it to be a surprise. When I said that Mamoru was wondering where his wife was, I was trying to insinuate that it was Usagi who'd been visiting Duo. Hope that clears it up for you and thanks for the review!

**TristaDin: **Yes! I am so sick of Wufei screaming "onna!" and "injustice!" I made him softer but I hope I didn't make him too soft, I just wanted to give him more depth, as you say. Duo has always been a deep guy to me. Even on the show he puts up this giddy façade but there are numerous times when he shows that it's all just that—a façade. Usagi visiting him in the middle of the night is a big uh-oh. He's not afraid to tell her how it is, what more trouble can me get in to? Thank you for reviewing and I hope this chapter was just as good as the last!

**Requiem of Fire:** Well here's an update! You know I absolutely love your Rei characterization in WLoM so I hope my little drabble on her here was satisfactory. I'm trying to get it out there that she's changed, that she's different but still has that fiery spirit and is just looking to find who exactly she is. I hope she and all of the other characters stayed true in this chapter as well, I think it went well : ). Thanks for the feedback, you're so kind with your comments. I hope you liked it!

**TopazDragon: **While I know we talked about not being impatient before I just _had _to put Hotaru and Setsuna in. Every story's gotta have them! So much for professionalism, eh? Lol, well, I don't want to really reveal what happened between the Senshi until they all kind of get settled into the palace. That way they can interact, fight, scream at each other and eventually _have _to talk about what happened.

I hope you liked the scene with Wufei and Minako, haha, I thought it was cute! I was trying to bring out more of the Minako that we all know because she's been kind of vacant throughout my story. I want the happy, sunny blonde back! But then I have to tell my self "in due time, in due time."

Yes, Usagi's being a little sneaky and mysterious. Good ole Mamoru is going to confront her about that little detail soon and we'll see how that goes. Duo, however, is going to get another nighttime visitor besides Usagi. How is that going to work out? Hmm, I wonder what would happen if they happened to, at some point, oh I don't know, show up at the same time?…hmm… :) I hope you enjoyed it and thanks a million for the review, you're awesome!


	6. Bloodbath

**Toxic**

**Chapter Five: Bloodbath**

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

Michiru kneeled, perched on the ledge of a building. The outlines of the city at night were far different from the bright bustling of the day. Buildings glittered with lit rooms and the last fading cars bumbled silently along the streets. Closed signs flittered into windows as the wind filtered through her hair.

How _powerful_ she felt to once again be garbed in the white and turquoise of Neptune. She looked to her right and for a moment gazed at Haruka's bared legs. She never dressed the way that her Senshi uniform revealed her body and Michiru had to admit… she _liked_ it.

"Like what you see?" she heard Haruka joke, daring a look out of the corner of her eye towards her long haired lover.

Michiru only smiled and stood, looking over Haruka's hunched form to study Rei—or rather, Mars. She'd really have to get used to that again, not calling people by their names. "Do you feel any disturbances?" she asked, voice kind but stern, hands placed prettily on her hips. Out of the corer of her eye she watched Haruka admire her legs as well.

Rei opened her eyes and dropped her hands, letting the trance go. "No…" she said softly, keeping her troubled eyes watching the city. She gave a sigh and gripped the edge of the building, leaning slightly foreward.

Haruka, still not used to the outwardly emotional Rei, gave her curious eye. "What's with you?" she asked outright, brushing off Michiru's admonishing look. "You've been acting—"

"Different," Michiru interrupted, looking away from the squatting two and outwards towards the city, eyes roaming for any inkling of danger.

Haruka gave Michiru a sidelong glance as Rei pursed her lips and squinted her eyes. "Yeah, different," she agreed.

Rei's gloved fingers gripped the edge harder, eyes seemingly scanning but muddied with a certain confusion. "Well…" Haruka rose an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. Rei turned to her, her resolve floating back into her amethyst orbs. "It's weird being back in the palace, back in my old room."

"Is that it?" Haruka asked, almost startled.

Rei shook her head. "No…" she sighed. "Do you ever feel…guilty?"

Haruka looked surprised. "For wanting to live my life?" she asked. Rei saw her about to blatantly reject it and she held up a hand.

"No, not that," she said, turning her eyes back to the city, that wondering haze glossing over again.

Haruka gave an impatient huff. "Then what do you mean?" she asked.

"For leaving Neo-Queen Serenity."

For a moment both Haruka and Michiru looked genuinely surprised. Haruka's look faded first and she stood, hands hanging at her sides and eyes cast out towards the city. The night wind tossed her short hair and the glare of the city night life glinted off of both her tiara and her firmly resolved eyes.

Rei too stood. "You and Michiru both fought so hard to reach her side, both stood so protective over her, it only makes me wonder why you're not the ones in Minako's place."

Haruka was quick to respond. "Threat was gone, Mars. It was simple. If she needed us, she'd call. If we needed each other, we'd come. And that's precisely what's happened, without a hitch." She placed her hands to her hips. "You can only keep human beings locked up for so long. Too much time in a needless job nearly against your will causes revolt. Usagi understood that, so she let us go." She barely noticed Rei's frown deepen, her dark hair whipping mysteriously around her.

"Plus," Haruka grinned, eyeing Michiru. "I found something I loved more." She looked out towards the city, a certain 'you can't hold me down' aura emanating from her. Michiru smiled softly. "Music," Haruka grinned.

Michiru frowned instantly, hitting Haruka's arm. Said girl balked.

"Ouch, Michi!" she cried, grabbing her arm. "I was only kidding," she grinned, grabbing the frowning beaty's chin. "You know I meant you," she said before placing a kiss to her lips.

Rei blanched and turned away. "You guys are sickeningly sweet," she muttered before roof hopping away, leaving the two behind her to catch up.

"Oh come on, Mars," she heard Haruka jibe behind her. "We know how much you hate men. We'll turn you lesbian yet!" Rei rolled her eyes, stopping on a roof more in the inner city, eyes scanning the alleyways before she kneeled and went back into the trance.

She wasn't able to focus, however, for the next words that Haruka said bothered her. "Why, Rei? Do you feel guilty for leaving Usagi?"

Her bright eyes flashed open and refused to turn to meet the gaze of her older comrades. Rei's jaw clenched and she glared out at the innocent city that struck her very nerves. "Never," she growled, before standing, not able to concentrate. She stood precariously on the edge of the building, her gloved hands fisted and stance cold. Out of the corner of her eye she made contact with Haruka's curious blue orbs. "And Usagi doesn't exist anymore. Neo-Queen Serenity is in her place," she said bitterly before leaping to another roof.

Haruka and Michiru made eye contact and the blonde sighed before they followed after her.

* * *

"So it's parchment?"

Ami nodded, wanting nothing more than to close her eyes. She'd slept around four hours two nights ago on a carpeted floor after an emotionally weary day, she hadn't slept last night, and it didn't look like she was going to get any sleep tonight.

"Yes," she confirmed. "It's made of sheepskin. The rain damaged it and it's highly sensitive to changes in weather. Temperature, humidity, you know," she continued, yawning.

Director Po gave a nod. "Good work Mizuno, you should go home you look like you're about to crash."

Ami gave a tired smile. "I will, I just want to see if I can translate this line here and then I'll leave."

Director Po smiled, watching as Ami stretched and sat back onto her chair, taking a magnifying glass to the words. She worked nearly as hard as Agent Yuy, never stopping until she was satisfied. "Alright," she said with a shrug. "You're the last person in though, so don't be surprised if no one's out there when you leave."

Ami peered around her magnifying glass. "What time is it?" she asked.

Director Po looked at her watch. "Around three twenty." She gave a grim look. "Seriously Mizuno, you haven't slept much lately and I need you at the top of your game. Go home."

Ami nodded, this time not sparing a glance. "I will," she said, moving the magnifying glass slowly over the paper. "It's just that the rain partially destroyed some of the parchment, making it nearly impossibly to decipher some of this." She gave the counter a tap. "Makoto did a good job protecting it, though. I'm surprised it's not completely worthless."

Director Po sighed. "Fine but I want you out of here by four at the latest," she said, walking towards the doors to Ami's lab. "You hear me? At the _latest_."

"Understood," came Ami's distracted voice and a wave of her hand.

Director Po snorted on her way out. These Crystal Services people had no respect for authority. However, it was hard to reprimand someone who was working so hard. With those final thoughts she exited the building.

Ami sighed when the last sounds of the Director faded down the hallway. Her brain was muddied, her vision blurring and her stomach churned with a need for food. She knew the Director was right, it was just that when she was given a task that was interesting, Ami found it very hard to pull away from it. That was what Makoto was for. If need be, the girl physically dragged Ami out of work and to the small restaurant a block from her apartment that was open late into the night.

Ami glanced at the clock above the door to her lab. Three twenty seven. Giving another sigh she walked to her window, glancing down at what she expected to be the empty courtyard.

When she first looked out Ami thought that she was having a sleep deprived illusion. She closed her eyes and shook her head softly, counting backwards from ten, rubbing her hand vigorously over her face, until opening her eyes again. The image remained however, and she pressed her face and hands to the glass.

Outside in the courtyard was…Setsuna! And a man? He was leaning drastically on her shoulder but Ami couldn't see physically what condition he was in, they were too far away. She watched as Setsuna struggled to half carry half drag him towards a bench in the courtyard.

Ami grabbed her small sweater, stuffed a few things into the pockets and dashed from the building, her hurried steps fueled only by her insistence to help. She was running on overdrive, she could feel it when she reached the courtyard and sparks of white fireworks flashed in front of her eyes. Ami placed a hand to her forehead and staggered for a moment, swallowing the nausea and inhaling deeply before continuing to the bench where Setsuna…

…had disappeared from. Ami looked around desperately, her own heavy breathing frightening her as she spun around. The night was chilly, far different from the warmer, sunny days. The courtyard shone with bright faux lights but Setsuna was nowhere to be found. "Setsuna?" she called, spinning around again, trying to find that familiar shock of green hair and those all knowing dark eyes. "Setsuna!"

Ami heard a groan behind her and spun quickly, immediately regretting it as her vision became murky once again. Images swam before her for a moment, her blue eyes hastily trying to refocus. When they did she saw something stir on a bench four steps in front of her.

Tentatively Ami walked towards it, her Senshi wand materializing in her palm. She took another step closer and…looked down at her hand in astonishment. Why had her wand formed? Did she find herself in immediate danger? Surely she didn't feel the need to transform into Sailor Mercury, she hadn't for years! Perhaps the letter had her paranoid about a killer on the loose. But there was no need to worry, she was in a secured area. With a flick of her wrist Ami made the item disappear and continued quickly to the bench after she heard another groan.

She kneeled at the side of the wooden structure as a man pushed from the seat. He stood hunched and Ami realized that he was a very…tall man. His hooded figure stumbled and she caught him, carefully sitting him back down to the bench.

"Sir, are you alright?" she asked politely, pulling back his hood. She reeled back, surprised at the revelation. A matted stream of thick, bright red blood coagulated to his forehead. One of his eyes sported a healing bruise and other was drowned out beneath sticky blood. "Oh my—!" Ami gasped but pulled herself back, instincts surging and doctor mode switching on. "Sir, what happened to you?" she asked seriously, pulling the coat from his body.

"Fight…" he mumbled, leaning his head back and closing his only able eye. "A cheater," he mumbled again just as cryptically.

Ami could only stare in wonder at the multitude of scrapes and bruises that amounted to cover his arms. She looked in wonder, asking herself what, besides a youma, could have caused such a dramatic amount of pain.

Trowa saw the shock that tarnished her eyes and smirked. "Fighting ring," he wheezed.

Ami's eyebrows scrunched disapprovingly and she was suddenly reminded of her partner—former partner. She could just imagine Makoto placed in situations like this as a younger girl, lost, hurt and confused. With a tsk she pulled some things from her sweater that Trowa couldn't recognize.

"What is your name?" she asked sternly, shining a light in both of his eyes. With a bloody hand he smacked the light away from him. Ami frowned.

"Trowa," he said, trying to stand. Ami put her hands on his shoulders and, with enough force to tell him that she was serious, pushed him back down to the bench. "And it's just a scratch."

Ami snorted. "Well the only things that could cause a _scratch_ like this are either something large, sharp, and made of metal or something small, round and made of metal." She touched his face gingerly. "The slice is too clean for wood," she said as if to herself.

Trowa dug into his pocket, producing something small, round, and most certainly metallic. He held it with his thumb and finger for her to see. Ami squinted, analyzing.

She looked at him grimly, reaching into her sweater again and pulling some more things out. "You've been shot," she said and Trowa felt something cool against the wound. He pulled back when it stung and the overall pain of pressure applied to his now torn flesh. No hiss of pain, however, gurgled through his lips and no eye squint or movement signaled that he'd felt it at all. Ami looked nearly confused. "It's just a graze though," she said, applying more pressure to the wound. This time he didn't pull back at all as if immune to the hurt.

She produced something square and white from her sweater again and Trowa wondered if she carried these things around with her all of the time. Maybe she had magic sweater pockets. She pressed it gingerly to his wound, telling him to hold it there while she rummaged around in her sweater again, this time producing a roll of gauze.

For some reason the whole ritual seemed familiar to him, the pain, the process, the recovery. Her fingers were small and soft and they drifted lightly around his head, wrapping it securely in the white material. When she finished she flung his arm over her shoulder and lifted him up, an operating challenge, seeing as how he was far taller than she was. Her own haziness appeared but she shook it away quickly.

"I'm going to take you to a hospital—"

"No," he cut her off firmly, trying to remove his arm from around her neck. The smaller girl was stubborn, however, and with his loss of blood it was hard to pull the limb from her tight grasp. "Hospitals ask questions and I don't have any money."

Ami pursed her lips, struggling to walk with him down the sidewalk. They'd exited the premises and now stood at a crossroads. "Where do you live?" she asked, looking out, not sure which way to go. Ultimately she wanted to go to her car but he would probably refuse that too.

Trowa nearly snorted. "The alley behind Nakamura's," he answered.

Ami blanched. "The restaurant?" she asked and he nodded. Taking a few shaky steps forward she looked to him. "Are you homeless?" she asked.

Her charge seemed reluctant to answer and Ami almost shook him to wake him up. "There's an abandoned store about two blocks from here," he said, "it used to be an electrical store. I stay there when it rains."

Ami nodded, hauling him in that direction, instead of to her vehicle. She watched him for a moment, studying his shabby coat and bleeding face. He was rustic, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome. Yeah, he was handsome, she could tell even beneath the blood, the bruises, the small amount of scruff that cultivated on his chin and upper lip. He caught her staring and she looked away, a blush on her cheeks. Her mind was righted, however when she remembered that in the shock of learning he was homeless she'd forgotten about the bullet. The bluenette held out her hand again. "Hand me the bullet."

He gave her an annoyed sidelong glance but didn't see the harm in handing it to her. Fishing it from his pocket once more he dropped the smooshed, golden object into her waiting palm. She looked at it intensely, her tired blue eyes reinvigorated with curiosity. "How did you get this?" she asked.

Trowa would have raised an eyebrow if his face just weren't utterly and totally out of commission towards any sort of facial expression. "I was shot," he said slowly, like she was dumb. Ami glared at him. "I policed his brass," Trowa answered finally, almost with a shrug of his shoulders.

Ami's eyes scrunched in concentration. "Do you know who shot at you?"

"Yes."

"Military?"

Trowa was silent for a moment before answering. "I don't know."

Ami looked intensely at the small object, wanting direly to put it in a bag and head back to her forensics lab but from her years of analyzing bullets, though tough it made be, she pretty much could decipher a type as common as this on the spot. "It's a hollow point slug," she said, clenching her fist around it. "Military grade, but you would know that." Her tone was reprimanding and Trowa turned his head towards her.

"Do I?"

Ami snorted. "_I policed his brass?_ Who outside of the armed forces even knows what that means?" She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, the white flashes swimming in her eyes again and the dizziness morphing into nausea.

Trowa looked grim for a moment. Why _had_ he said that? He'd never even heard it before. In P.E…. could he have possibly been in the military? Wanting dearly to push away from her and walk on his own, Trowa turned away. Blood loss, shmud loss. In a spurt of energy he tore his arm from around her shoulders, the outward force propelling him against the brick wall to his right. His shoulder crashed into it and he nearly grimaced, but caught himself with his other hand, using the wall as a crutch.

"Trowa!" she exclaimed, trying to reach out to him.

He held a hand up, slender fingers dark with dried blood. "Stop trying to help me," he said sternly, continuing down the street in a haze of fatigue and blood. The girl caught up with him in moments, placing a hand to his arm. Trowa drew back. "Really, lady. I don't want you around me."

Ami nearly guffawed. "I'm trying to help!" she said through clenched teeth.

"Why?"

Trowa nearly continued to walk, barely noticing that she'd stopped from the near impossibility of him seeing. When he no longer felt her hand on his arm he turned to glance at her, step slowing but not completely stopping.

"Because!" she called out, "If I were in your situation I'd want someone to help me. I'm nearly a doctor, I feel the need to help someone who is hurt," she explained, taking small quick steps to catch up to him. "Really Trowa, you need help. With that much blood loss you shouldn't be—"

"You're not in my situation," he said, pausing and turning to her and grabbing her shoulders harshly.

Ami's mouth opened to try and reason with him but he shoved her hard against the wall. Perhaps he didn't mean to but she felt her head connect uncomfortably with it, making her vision swim again. This time, however, she could not regain focus and she felt her limbs begin to tingle, not responding to the electric demands her brain gave them to move.

"Who's to say I'm not some kind of murderer?" he nearly growled, frustrated that she held onto him like a leech. Her grip was beginning to loosen however, and Trowa watched as her head began to slump.

She mumbled something that he couldn't hear, small lips forming quiet words. Trowa, still slightly hazy from exerting too much energy, leaned in to hear her. "…were with…Setsuna," was all that he could hear. He pulled back sharply.

He noticed that her eyes hung glossy for a moment before the lids captured and protected them, sealing closed. "Hey," he said, shaking her and nearly groaning in frustration as she sagged against his arms. "Hey," he tried again, trying to giggle her awake. "How do you know that woman?" he asked.

Ami's head fell against his shoulder, legs giving way beneath her and Trowa had to work hard to keep her up. The last thing she remembered was a certain feeling of weightlessness as her feet departed from the ground. Something warm wrapped around her and then…darkness.

* * *

Makoto gave a hefty, loud, frustrated groan. Perhaps it would go away if she…rolled over. Testing out her somnolence inspired theory Makoto turned over in her bed, snuggling down into her pillows and giving a sleepy sigh. She pulled the warm covers up high to embrace her shoulders and neck in a pocket of warmth, pushing down into the mattress and shifting for a moment to achieve the optimum comfy position. Once it was reached, a small, comfortable smile crept onto her lips and the sound deceased, silence one again hanging protectively in her bedroom. Her body was finally beginning to relax, the moon casting a warm glow of patterns across her bedspread and skin, and her mind swirled with the tell tale signs of slumber…

…when the banging came from her door again.

Makoto's eyes shot open and if it were possible she was sure that comical steam would have been emanating from her ears in anger. She growled as the banging continued, each pound like a hammer jamming against her temples. Squeezing her eyes shut tight she nearly yelled in frustration.

"I'm _coming!_" she screamed, literally throwing her covers dramatically from on top of her. The white fluff pooled at the bottom of her bed and snagged at her foot as she flung herself from her bed and tried to stumble out of it. "Eep!" she cried, her hands catching herself as she plummeted face first towards the floor. The incessant knocking on her door never ceased. "Ugh…" she cried, pushing herself from the carpet, giving a halfhearted glare towards her covers and pulling down her long t-shirt.

Who could _possibly _be banging on her door at… she glanced at her digital clock, and her jaw hung open. _Three in the morning?_ Makoto's jaw clenched. It could only be that nosey, old hag down the hall embarking on a journey to the land of the senile. That damn Espinosa-san. She kept bugging the younger girl about herbs, continuously claiming that the city was dry, that the storeowners only gave them to her because she was young and pretty. Her latest and craziest line was that Makoto needed to stop hording all of the herbs in the city and share with those older than sixty.

_Sure Espinosa-san, _she thought, _in a prefecture filled with millions of people I'm the _only _one the storeowners will sell herbs to. _Crazy old hag.

"Espinosa-san, I swear I don't have any thyme!" She hurried towards the door, wanting nothing more than to go back to bed. "Hitsumi's is out," she said tiredly and frustrated, winding around her couch towards the door. She grabbed the knob and yanked it open, furious that the woman would dare to bother her at such a late hour. "Just use—basil?"

"I've been knocking on your door for ten minutes," Heero's angry voice announced lowly.

Makoto balked. Her astonished face turned angry very quickly. "Why didn't you call?" she growled. "That would have been much simpler than you showing up here making all kinds of a ruckus."

Heero, who was about to say something, turned as a door down the hall opened. He faced an irate woman, her head poking from her door. "Kino-san, please leave spats with your boyfriend to earlier hours and preferably _in_ your apartment."

Makoto tried to push by Heero, the man blocking her doorway and trying to push her back into her apartment. "Yuuko-san he's not my boyfriend," she said earnestly, Heero taking her shoulders and spinning her around, pushing her back into the apartment. Her hand grabbed outside of the door, "No, really, I just work—"

"I apologize, Yuuko-san," Heero said with little tone, and eventually pushed Makoto completely back into her apartment. When the door was shut behind him he turned to her, eyes burning coldly. "Keep your work quiet. You're covert now, it's not as lenient as CS."

"Yeah, alright, I get that." She said, placing her hands on her hips. "But what gives you the right to bust into my apartment?"

"The fact that you didn't answer your phone."

Makoto grumbled something incoherent and a small blush covered her cheeks. "I can be a heavy sleeper," she mumbled, turning away in slight embarrassment.

"Well wake up, another body's been found."

Makoto turned back to him and nearly gawked. "_Another_ one? But we've barely even processed Ernie Down or the last one we found just—"

"Precisely why you need to wake the hell up and get dressed," he said peering at her solo long shirt. "He's moving faster than we are."

Makoto frowned, following his eyes and looking down at her attire. A blush filled her face and neck quickly as if a switch had been turned out. Her arms crossed themselves over her chest and her leg came up to ostensibly protect and hide her other more intimate areas. "Guuwahh!" she cried, pulling the shirt away from her body and downwards, hunching so that it covered her body to her knees. "Why didn't you say anything before?!" she cried, scampering off to her bedroom quickly like a dog with its tail between it's legs.

Heero rolled his eyes and frowned. "I'm not that juvenile," he responded, listening as he heard her sink running and frustrated that she would waste time brushing her teeth. "It's no secret that you have breasts and a…" his tired and annoyed words were cut off as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out he read a text message from Noin.

_Where are you two?_

He tucked the phone back into his pocket, not responding. Leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms, Heero noticed that Makoto, dressed clumsily with a toothbrush hanging from her mouth, was peering curiously around her bedroom door.

"Whewr yuhou honetly abot to thay vahdgina?" came her garbled, astonished voice.

Heero closed his eyes, remaining calm and statuesque against her wall. "Hurry _up_."

…

The ride was quiet. Far, _far_ too quiet for Makoto's breakable sanity. The surprisingly sleek car he drove was silent, the radio was turned off, and he hadn't said a word since they'd left her apartment. She shuffled around and knocked her foot against the side of the car, masking it with her movement, trying to _somehow_ break the sound of her own breathing. Not even a blink from his direction.

"So where are we going?" she asked and winced, the sound of her own voice piercing in comparison to the bubble of quietude that formerly encased them.

"To the body."

Makoto rolled her eyes. Oh what a man of many words he was. "Yes, Heero, I know that, but where exactly _is_ the body?" She noticed that they'd exited the city; the road, tiny houses, and green, lush farmland the only things that frequented her vision now. They'd been driving for a while.

He kept his eyes on the road, pushing past the speed limit. "This…_youma_, as you call it, must have realized that the Queen reactivated her Senshi on night duty. The kill was far outside the city and beyond your friends' immediate vision."

Makoto turned her eyes from him to the road and frowned. Still though, if a youma was on the move Rei would have sensed it and would have alerted everyone. Her frown deepened.

They were left to their own thoughts for a moment and the silence began to irk Makoto once more. She looked towards Heero and, to keep herself busy, mused about him for a moment. He was obviously built, dressed in a simple (like all of his clothes) black shirt, and his hair had that sort of "I really don't care", messy look that few were able to pull off. She gave a discreet, half appreciative nod of her head. He totally had potential to be a cool guy but his attitude made her want to slap him silly.

She thought about his comment back at her apartment. Who even thought that Heero Yuy knew what boobs were? She looked down to her own. In fact, the first time she'd met him she thought he was trying to grope her. But instead he was reaching for… Makoto's smirk shot downwards.

"Still think I'm a threat to this city, country and planet, Heero?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. When he didn't respond she smirked. "Are you still going to make me suffer?" She gave a small laugh when his eyes turned towards her. They glanced down to her chest, following the silver links disappearing into her shirt.

"Hn," he said, turning back towards the road and winding smoothly around a curve in the road. He wasn't so sure what to think about the fabled Sailor Senshi, the protectors of Crystal Tokyo. She didn't seem so ethereal to him, no sense of something different or powerful exuded from her blatantly ordinary form. If he hadn't been in the room with the Queen herself, denoting that those were, in fact, her former guard, then he never would have believed that she bore the chain of one of the legendary warriors.

He himself wasn't so keen on the fact that they ran around in mini skirts and shot fireballs and whatnot from their hands. It sounded childish, almost like a fairy-tale or some made up fantasy by a horny primary school boy.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, noticing as she toyed indolently with the chain around her neck.

"Which one are you?" he asked, almost causing her to jump. He originally hadn't been curious, not really caring to delve into details about the self-indulgent and silly drama that embraced the Sailor Senshi. The tension in the room was all too easy to read. And though he tried to conspire against the urge to know who was who, he found no harm in finding what bodily harm his new partner could inflict on him. If it had anything to do with ice he was going to have a lighter on his being at all times.

Makoto smirked but the mirth never reached her eyes. She turned to look out of her window and stared at the grassy nothingness that fled from her vision. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that," she said tightly, turning back towards him and giving him a tired look. Her hand gripped at the chain around her neck, pulling until a pendant popped into view.

Heero turned his eyes from the road and looked at it. It wasn't some swirly, girly design, like he thought it would be, but rather a simple figure indicating her stature. It was green and looked strangely like a four. She grinned.

"You tried so hard to see it before. Is it anything like you thought it would be?" she jibed.

"No."

She gave a soft sigh and looked at it herself. The metal was warm from her own flesh and it shone despite being pressed to her skin. "_Moukuso_," she said, tucking it back into her shirt. "I'm Sailor Jupiter."

The words sounded foreign even to herself and she looked away, as if not deserving the name. Heero noticed this and watched carefully as she chewed on her thumbnail. Still, he had to know what she could do to him.

"And that means?"

This time her grin was true and she made a hand gun from her finger and thumb. Pressing her finger to his forehead she squinted one eye. "Let's just say a Taser gun is the _least_ of my abilities." She laughed when he pushed her hand away from his face gently. "That and I could have you torn to shreds by some razor sharp leaves."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Leaves?"

Makoto frowned and placed a finger to her lips. "Yeah, that one gets me too."

"Do you ever…"

Makoto nearly smiled. This was the most Heero had ever said to her, the most curious he'd sounded since they met and it made her think that maybe, just maybe he was starting to warm up to her.

"…feel dumb shouting puerile phrases?"

Or not.

She glared at him. The way he said it made it sound like a statement, like she was embarrassed and ashamed by how she had to call on her powers. Okay, so what they said was a little silly, she'd give him that, but at least they _had_ the damn powers.

She pointed at him daringly. "I'll have you know that those puerile phrases can open a can of whoop-ass—"

Her vocal chords tightened into a gasp, cutting of her quip as a sense of momentary terror and vertigo clutched at her body. One hand grasped Heero's shoulder, the center armrest being vacant in this car, and the other grabbed at the handle on her door. Her body lurched as the car squealed to a halt, swerving for a moment before the friction grasped at the tires once more and they came to a jolting stop.

Makoto's body was frozen for a moment, nails digging into Heero's shoulder and the plastic of the door handle. Her mouth hung slightly agape, trying to assess the situation that had literally stepped in front of them. Heero didn't seem to notice her nails on his shoulder but she did see his knuckles clenched white against the steering wheel. His eyes held a steely, cold resolve as they gazed out at what stood before them.

Slowly, as to not frighten herself or what stood in front of them, Makoto turned her eyes forward. Her eyes nearly bulged and stomach lurched, bile barely ebbing into her throat. Her mind swam with myriad questions but her fingers dared not to relinquish her grasp. Was this honestly real? She wanted to cry. _Dearly_ she wanted to cry. She was used to murder before but nothing that amounted to this, nothing that measured to be so gruesome she nearly fought to turn away.

It was standing in front of them in the road, the headlights of the car casting an eerie light on most of its body, haloing it in a halogen field. Its eyes possessed their own light as it peered curiously at them. At first when it had darted out onto the pavement in the dark it only looked like a bulky guy. But now, as Heero's headlights captured it in revealing beams of light, whatever it was was all but human.

It stood hunched, naked, its body a pasty mess of clammy white. Its ribcage protruded sickly from tissue thin skin and they watched as every breath it took pressed that skin to its limit. Its legs were bent, as if preparing to bound away, long fungal toes pressed firmly to the street. Its ears were small and pointed, twitching slightly, analyzing the sounds of the night. Its eyes were large, beady, pupils huge, nearly overshadowing the bright, vampiric red that colored the iris. It had no nose, only two gaping holes that were placed above a snarling mouth filled with rows of serrated teeth jutting from pale gums.

What made Makoto's stomach twist and her throat tighten was not so much its actual physical attributes. It was the hordes of blood that painted onto its canvas white body. Most of it bubbled from its ghastly mouth, the liquid dripping from its jaws as if it had just drank from a glass of it and, instead of deciding to swallow, had let it all poor from its lips to dribble down its chin and smear against its chest. It wasn't just the blood either, it was the dead body draped over its shoulder like a haunting rag doll. The ghost like form of her eyes, hinting towards petechial hemorrhaging, signaled that she'd died by asphyxiation instead of being massacred by this _thing_ but did little to settle Makoto's stomach.

Her entrails tumbled from her gaping, torn open stomach, glistening with the fluids of her innards. They tangled around its arm in a strange vine like creep and colored it red with their stain. Her mouth hung open in a scream silenced by her gruesome death and above her breast was a hole, bubbling and ensanguined as if someone had taken a bite out of her chest. Its body dripped morbidly with what had once sustained her life.

All three of them watched each other steadily, silently evaluating and measuring.

And then Heero's pocket buzzed urgently and it was as if all three of them were torn from their shock. Its ears flattened back, its heightened sense of hearing picking up on the vibrations coming from inside of the car. Its mouth moved slowly, alien-like clicking noises exuding from its throat and its ragged, long claws curled around it's dead captive's body tighter, pressing her closer to its broad, naked chest.

Heero reached quickly into his pocket and it was like somebody pressed play.

The thing shot across the road with a speed Makoto did not predict and Heero flew out of his door, chasing after it with a gun in his hand and his phone to his ear. Makoto tried to leap out of her door after them but was tangled in her seatbelt. Her finger fumbled with the button. She cursed her hands for shaking and pressed the button harshly, flying from the car and darting into the thick foliage that Heero and that _monster_ had disappeared into.

Heero, meanwhile, followed quickly behind the monster, weaving in and out of trees, darting along it's winding path with adrenaline pumping so hard in his veins that it nearly drowned out the sound of Noin's voice on the other side of the phone. Small branches swiped at his face as he listened to her panicked and terrified voice.

"_Heero!_" she called, voice shaking immeasurably. "_Something…I don't know how to explain it! A monster, it has our third victim, it's…covered in_…" he heard her inhale and exhale quickly, urgent shouts sounding in the background as he shoved branches out of his way with his gun.

"Blood," he said coldly, feet pounding against the ground with a speed he achieved only by years of chasing and running away. The monster leapt into the trees and swung like an animal one armed. Heero felt the splatter of the girl's blood across his face, and felt disgusted, wiping it away with the back of his hand. However, he maintained a mask of determination and continued his chase unyieldingly.

"_How did you—"_

"I'm on its trail right now, Noin. Trace my phone and give us backup," was all he said before hanging up, putting it back into his pocket. He needed to concentrate, focus on tailing the crazy thing. He lifted his gun and shot at it, missing by a near inch. The monster gave an alien cry and swung the dead girl onto its back.

Heero cursed. Though she was dead he still refused to shoot an innocent girl. He continued behind it, lungs burning and his hazy mind wondering just where the hell Makoto was. Then all of a sudden it stopped, dropping the girl to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Her internal organs trailed after her, hanging momentarily in the air before crashing to her body as she met the ground in a heap. The monster flung itself from the trees to Heero in a frighteningly swift moment. They connected and slid across the earth, Heero's gun sprawling across the ground, hidden somewhere beneath all of the undergrowth.

Its speed was near supersonic and Black Ops agent barely had time to brace for impact. This had gone far beyond any training he'd suffered before. This wasn't human reaction time, human precision or strength. This was unearthly and shattered any previously conceived notion of the norm that had been engraved into Heero's brain after years of military service. But that didn't erase his steely will and nearly reckless persistence.

They tumbled along the ground, the monster pinning Heero beneath it with its long arms and broad build within seconds. One of Heero's hands was wrapped around its thick neck, trying to prevent its sharp, hissing mouth from rupturing his jugular, while the other tried to keep its claws from inching close enough to tear at his chest. It's other clawed hand reached out from grasping tightly at the hand that captured its neck and, in a moment of defensive weakness on Heero's part, pushed through his resistance and pierced Heero's stomach.

Heero grimaced in pain and relinquished his grasp on its throat and arm slightly. It pulled back a little and let its gruesome tongue lick his warm, freshly cultivated blood that had collected across the sharp nails. Just as Heero, recovering slightly from the shock of pain, was about to let loose a physical attack, it pounced with that demonic and nightmarish speed, clutching at the junction of his shoulder and neck with its crude and jagged teeth.

Heero barely held back a yell of excruciating pain as it bore through his flesh and tore at his muscle. He could feel its slithery tongue inside its mouth lapping at the blood that swelled like a pump from his new wound. Even in his rending pain, Heero could swear he saw its eyes become brighter, redder in the glint of the sliver of the moon that managed to slink through the miniscule part in the canopy of trees. It was like a spawn of the nefarious vampire, a contorted monster hunting under the aegis of night and sustaining its life only on the blood of its victims.

"Heero!" he heard called somewhere in the distance.

The monster's head shot up, eyes searching and narrowing at the sound of a fully healthy heart and harried tones of a woman's voice. Heero's blood glistened and oozed from its trap, dark, almost black in the night's tenebrous casting and it let loose and string of its alien language, clicking and hissing. Before Heero could even make a weak movement to stop it, it propelled off of him with its hyperphysical speed.

"Dammit," Heero cursed, rolling over and pushing himself up, staggering for a moment before running in the direction Makoto's voice had come from.

Makoto, on the other hand, came crashing to a halt as she saw the monster bounding with its inhuman speed towards her. Reacting blindly she raised her gun and let off a shot just as it leapt onto her. She crashed into the hard ground, dazed as her head came in firm contact with it.

She knew that her shot had connected for the monster had let loose a pitiful howl like that of a hit dog. She looked over at it and almost immediately wished that she hadn't. To put it simply, she saw her doom in those blood red eyes. Its pupils dilated until solely pinpricks, claws spreading and ears pinned back like a hissing cat.

Makoto scrambled onto all fours and began to hurriedly crawl away. _Transform,_ her mind told her. _Transform, transform, transform!_ She was too out of practice, the initial thought not popping into her head until the last moment. She flicked her wrist and felt her wand appear in her hand. She continued to crawl and held it up, mouth opening to call out her transformation.

But instead of Jupiter's magical phrase emitting from her lips it was an excruciating scream of agony. Her eyes swelled with pain as he monster's claws dug into the small of her back, lodging in so deep that they created enough leverage to pull her towards it. Her wand fell from her hand as she was pulled across the ground and her hand reached desperately towards it. Her fingers dug into the dirt as she wailed in frightful pain, leaving ten frenzied scars torn into the dirt in their wake.

In a moment of pure desperation she lunged away from it, dislodging its claws from her back and spinning around to swing a punch at its face. It dodged effortlessly and pushed her to the ground, hand pressing painfully to her chest. It captured both of her wrists in its other hand and leaned down towards her.

Its eyes studied her, took in her facial features, followed her neck to the crevice of her breasts and trailed disgustingly along her stomach. Makoto could swear that the look in its eyes read hungry, like it wanted to consume her in more ways than one. Even if it was a monster, a ghastly, demonic carcass, it saw her as a woman, as a shell sheltering a womb, as a pleasure object and a carrier. If it ever harbored any facial expressions Makoto would have classified the grotesque snarl it sported now as a smile.

It bent down and licked the side of her face and she turned away in disgust, eyes squeezing shut and mouth pressing tightly together. She didn't want the smell the stench of decaying flesh and blood on it's tongue as it left a long red smear on her cheek. Then, as quickly as it leapt upon her it bent it's head and tore into her flesh in the exact same place as it had Heero. Her frightened shivers were replaced with furious struggles as she screamed in pain. No way in _hell_ she was going to give up! Her strong hands clawed at it's arms and face, capturing it's sinew beneath her nails

This was nothing, _nothing_ like the youma she'd faced in the past. They were colorful, magical monsters harboring mystical powers and illusions. They had blue skin and pink hair and wore skimpy clothes. They took energy, searched for dreams, for rainbow crystals and heart crystals, for star seeds and the Ginzuishou. Never did they massacre humans or feed on blood or ever, _ever_ inflict as much physical harm as she felt now. A new fear, a _different_ more human fear gripped at her heart and she groaned in pure and utter agony as it tore at her flesh.

The monster pulled back and shuddered as if in ecstasy, bending back and closing its eyes like it was going to howl to the moon. The moon haloed it in a devilish glow and she reared back, trying to push herself, hide her body within the dirt. Some part of her wished that the earth would save her, that the plants would come to her rescue like they had so many times in the past. But their link had been severed, she hadn't transformed, used her powers, yearned for them in years. There was nothing worse then feeling that there was absolutely nothing you could do and Makoto felt nauseated by her sheer helplessness. The lecherous hunger it exuded caused her to thrash beneath it, pulling, pushing, punching, anything to escape its grasp. It pulled back as if winding up to taste her again, mouth snarling and teeth bared, when a shot rang out.

It curled onto itself and scampered off of her as another shot lodged itself into its back. With a horrifying scream Makoto saw it flash towards Heero, who rolled deftly out of the way. But it hadn't been aiming for him in the first place; it disappeared past him, a white smear amidst the darkness of the foliage and tore at it's previous bounty. Makoto closed her eyes and covered her ears, not wishing to hear as the sound of tearing, and snapping engulfed the forest. She didn't want to imagine that it was literally tearing a human girl into a bloody pulp to ingest.

But it's mind was away from her now and Makoto turned over and began to crawl away, ashamed and disgusted and in pain. The panic stricken breaths that heaved from her chest sounded disembodied and she hoped fiercely and futilely that they weren't hers. Her hands pushed against the ground, propelling her forwards and away from the carnage and slaughter when she felt something wrap around her middle.

"No!" she screamed and struggled, pushing the arm that was around her away. She tried to break free, fearing that it was the strong, white limb coated in blood that tried to capture her again.

It held tight around her. "Makoto, it's me," Heero grunted sharply, pulling her up from the ground and stumbling forwards quickly. "We need to get out of here." He pressed her to the side of his chest and pushed running as fast as he could with his swimming vision and obvious sway. Makoto still struggled, fearing that he was that monster and he had to drop her to the ground. She rolled over and looked to him, wide eyed and frightened, mass amounts of blood staining her once white shirt. Heero's eyes narrowed in a moment of agent awareness when he saw the same bite in the exact same place as his. He turned his attention back to her face so as not to make her look at it or acknowledge that the same pain pulsed in his own shoulder.

"Heero," she said, grabbing his arm as he hoisted her up again, vision blurring with the exertion of force for the task. "Heero, I could have sworn it was going to—"

"I know," he cut her off, not desiring to hear her finish her shaking sentence. "Come on," he said quickly, chancing a glance behind them and not seeing a flash of white. "We have to go," he said again. He continued to push her through the trees, arm wrapped firmly against her middle. Heero noticed that her steps grew slower the more they pressed on and felt the quick breaths that had once pumped her chest slow.

He spared a look at her back, noticing the four deep gashes that oozed blood beyond her torn shirt. Her collapse into his arms was fully expected, and his inability, due to loss of blood, to carry her further was expected as well.

He held her close to him, knees sinking to the ground in exhaustion. But when he heard a rustle from in front of them the fatigue from his eyes disappeared. He raised his gun and his fingers clenched at her body tighter, preparing if he had to push her away. His eyes searched the area in front of him for that demonic white or that nasty stench of blood. However, his nostrils now were confused, his own copper scent mixed with hers perpetuating the smell.

Something pushed through and Heero nearly let off a shot. Noin burst through the trees in a dead run towards them.

"Heero!" she called, a horde of men with vests and guns dribbling out after her. Heero breathed out a sigh of relief, letting his gun and his head drop as Noin approached them.

"Finally," he said before letting his body shut down and pass out.

* * *

Minako was shaken from her bed in a furious tussle. Her body flailed and she screamed continuously. She screamed again, trying to shake the comforting hands that tried to calm her down. Her eyes opened and she pulled away, shoving at the dark form that hovered over her bed.

"Minako!" Wufei yelled, taking her shoulders and shaking her. "Minako, calm down."

She looked at him with an expression of horror, hands clenching her comforter so tightly she felt as if she was going to tear it. Only when her panic began to ebb away, her breathing slowing and her eyes focusing from their crazed fright, did she dare to say anything.

"Wu…Wufei?"

"What happened?" he asked seriously, looking her head in the eye.

Minako tried to still her breathing but something tickled at the back of her mind, something wouldn't let her relax. She cocked her head to the side, wiping at the sweat on her face. "What do you mean?" she asked. Then more confused, added between her heaves, "what are you doing in my room?"

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "You've been screaming like someone was trying to murder you for the past half an hour." She looked at him like he was crazy. "I only came in here because it was loud enough to reach my room and…" he looked at her sternly, watching as her eyes focused tiredly on him, "…and I thought you might wake up the king and queen."

Something in her eyes looked disappointed and she looked down, breathing finally slowing to normality but her hair still stood on end.

Wufei wasn't one to usually worry but this was strange, even for her. "I'll ask you again," he said sternly, hands still gripping her arms. "What happened?"

"I don't know," she wheezed out, tearing herself gently from his arms and standing from her bed. "I don't know but something's not right," she said, trying to shake the tremble from her legs and she stumbled towards her door in a hurry.

"Mianko, where are you going at this hour?"

She disappeared into the hallway and he saw the familiar orange glow of her transformation reflect against the walls. He ran out of her room and saw her sprinting down the hallway. "I have to find Rei!" she called back.

Wufei growled. _Damn woman,_ he thought angrily before tearing out after her.

* * *

Snap! REALLY long chapter! I bet none of you expected anything precisely like _that _to happen. Ho ho ho… I really wish I was good at writing scary things but it's just so gosh darn hard. It's not easy to make things seem scary or nasty but I hope I at least somewhat fulfilled a 5 out of 10 on the scary factor. For the monster here's what I was thinking: White like the creature with the eyes in it's hands from Pans Labyrinth, body like the creepy things from The Descent, sounding like the aliens from Signs, and a nose like Voldemort in Harry Potter. I hope that clears a few things up for you. I know Makoto and Heero stole most of the chapter but I'm trying to make rounds. Minako and Rei have had a hefty chunk of the last two or so chapters and Ami got a little snippet in this one. Hopefully I'm evenly distributing the time.

I've jinxed myself! Now it's been taken down to my, uh, thpectacular three:

**Requiem of Fire: **I'm glad I could make your day better! That's what writing is all about : ) I'm really glad that you liked the Rei segment, it was a toughie to write and I didn't want to soften her up too much but, like you said, intimate that she was stuck in an identity crisis. Hmm, Quatre has always been a favorite of mine, I _love_ writing him. I've always figured that when he grew older he'd still be kind, but more confident and sort of all-knowing, especially with his little empathic gift. Yeah, I loved the peas part, Minako is just so adorable! Thank you so much for your review!

**TristaDin: **Lol, you've got that right. I hinted a little more at it in the last segment with him and Minako, but I don't want to be too outright with it. I'm glad you like the coupling I've made! Yeah, I've pretty much shown only about three of the pairings, the other two you'll just have to guess : ) Eh, now it's the thpectacular three, and I _love_ the fact that you talk (type) because I yearn for feedback. How else do you get better, right? I would rather have three continuous reviewers like you guys saying something that's worthwhile than 10 reviewer just saying "awesome, update!" Yes, the whole Usagi, Mamoru, Duo thing will be coming out soon. Say hello to drama! Thank you for your review!

**TopazDragon: **You're right, I guess we can throw professionalism to the wind in spirit of moving the story along. I've always seen Hotaru as becoming confident once she's made peace with her Senshi form. Whenever she's transformed she's always so aloof and mysterious and I love that about her. Yeah, she and Setsuna have been up to some biz-nass, as you saw a little in this chapter.

I'm glad you liked the Minako/Wufei/Peas scene! I thought it was so adorable. I like having him as a sort of protecting sentry over her. She doesn't want it, and in some ways it's not necessary, but she ultimately needs it. I felt that Wufei would be the proper support and care system for her. I'm _sure_ that there is going to be plenty of fun going on in that budding relationship, whether it be friend wise or romantic wise.

Thanks for your compliments on my Rei characterization. I worked hard on that one, trying to find a medium somewhere between that hard-ass she used to be and a more grown up, sensible person. She can be hard to write when you want her to show emotion, just like Heero and _Trowa_ (oh my word is he difficult to write for me), but I'm glad you feel I did a decent job of it.

Yeah, Trowa and Quatre are bumbling along now, though the dear old blonde was not in this chapter. Usagi and Mamoru and all of the girls even with have fierce interactions soon, I just have to time it right, like when all of the chaos is building to new levels. Probably not the next chapter but most likely the one after that.

Take the cookies and cream and the brownie batter along with it! (I love brownie batter, it makes me feel like such a fatty, though, and then I go work it off). I live to share :) Thanks for you feedback!


	7. Freedom In Many Forms

**Toxic**

**Chapter Six: Freedom In Many Forms**

Disclaimer:I do not own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing

* * *

Duo turned, a confused expression claiming his features, as he heard steps mounting towards his holding cell. They were lighter than the queen's but no lively chatter accompanied them like when the servants brought his food. He turned from the dark window and looked over his shoulder towards the door. The sound ceased and whoever desired to visit him at that absurd hour had yet to speak. Duo threw an annoyed glance to the door. "Who are you?" he asked bluntly and sternly.

It was silent behind the door for a moment, a pregnant pause leaving only his own steady breaths to answer Duo's question. He heard someone sit against the door and turned fully to face it, sitting cross-legged on his bed. Still it remained silent, his visitor either opting to sit in quiet rumination or hesitant in their overall tarrying.

"I'm like you," he finally heard. It was a soft voice, obviously young though there was a hardness that rounded its tone. He raised an eyebrow at first, wondering precisely why his silent visitor would decide to open conversation with such an outlandish and, to him, contestable topic. Its relevance, as well, eluded him.

Duo thought about it and chortled. Who on crystal earth would risk such trouble to announce that they believed themselves, most likely incorrectly, to be like him? "Yeah," he said sarcastically, putting his hands behind his head and lying back on his bed. "Yeah, you're _just_ like me."

He heard a girly grunt from behind the door. His smirk ebbed away as his eyes shifted towards the door's direction. "You may find it hard pressed to think we're alike, Duo, but we really are very similar."

Duo rolled his eyes, the interest in her words fading away. She'd had him captivated for a moment but his curiosity grew fainter with the small tinge of persistence that laced her seemingly steady and nonchalant voice. "How's that...what's your name?"

"Hotaru," she answered confidently and steadily.

"Alright, well how's that, Hotaru?"

"Hmm," she began and Duo could mentally imagine her counting off of her fingers. "We've both been locked up for a long time."

Duo raised an eyebrow, a skeptical look falling into place. "Really now? And where were you locked up?" She sounded far too young, too sweet to have committed a crime. But then again sounds, just like looks, could be deceiving.

"Mmhmm," she responded almost cheerily. "Inside my own body."

Duo looked confused. He sat up slowly, arms now crossed in front of his chest. He glared at the door as if daring her to continue...which she did.

"Both of our eyes are a strange shade of purple," she listed again conversationally.

Duo made a faux surprised face and pressed his hands to his cheeks, looking frighteningly like the cover of Home Alone. "Maybe we're related!" he said mockingly and derisive. He was actually becoming quite irritated with her nonsensical comparisons.

"No..." Duo imagined her to have puckered lips, eyebrows shoved downwards, and a finger to her chin. "No, my mom died a long time ago and my dad was turned into a demon."

At first he thought she was kidding but when Hotaru had yet to giggle at her own ingeniousness or announce her jest, Duo's mocking hands fell to his lap and he gave a strained chuckle. "And I thought I had it bad." He knew there were demons, something the queen had divulged in the first time she'd visited him; a pity ploy he'd always dubbed it. And yet here someone was announcing it, but Duo couldn't help but find the passive tone of her voice a modifier to that presumption. For some reason the revelation that Hotaru's dad had been transformed into a demon didn't sit with him as fodder for his previous judgment.

"And there's another thing," she said, her voice seeping from between the crack in the floor and pulling him from his thoughts. "We've both watched people we care for die."

Duo's lips pursed and he looked serious for a moment, the lines of stress barely shading his features before letting it soften into a small, uncertain smile. "Something like that," he responded, leaning forwards with his arms on his knees. She paused in her list and Duo gave a yawn, scratching his head. Despite the fact that he found her slightly witty, easy to go along with, and her presence amused him, it really was quite early in the morning. "Is that it? Are we best buds now or something?" he joked.

"Well, there's one more," he heard her say and he looked at the door expectantly.

"_Go on_…" he said dramatically and in an epic, old movie type voice. He grinned at his own savvy and waited for her to reveal their last and most interesting tie.

Hotaru cleared her throat. "We both have the most beautiful and well kept masks." This, Duo was not expecting. He pressed his hands to what could barely be called his mattress and stood from his bed slowly, taking careful, decisive steps towards his door. He stopped a step away from it and pressed his calloused hand to the rough wood.

She continued. "Yours, perhaps, is even better than mine." Duo's look became more stone like, more hidden behind that defectless facade. He heard her stand from the ground and he leaned in close to the frame. "And we..." Her voice was just below his chin now, a short but respectable height. "...We both have something decidedly darker harbored within our bodies."

Duo pushed back slowly and crossed his arms, a look of contemplation falling into place. He heard something placed in the keyhole and stayed his ground, for some reason not surprised when his door crept slowly open. The revealing process was slow and movie-like, displaying his new visitor inch by inch, leg to hip to body to head. He had a face to match the voice now, a beautiful, round face that sported eyes a striking shade of purple, just like his. She was pale and thin, but there was a certain structure to her stance that read strong and confident. There was a different durability that made her intimidating and powerful, something more ethereal and ageless.

All of this, her mysticism, the fact that she'd just opened his door, the dangerous prospect of freedom, and all Duo could think of to say was, "You look hotter than you sound."

She gave a smile and that all-knowing look in her eyes faded, her face dissolving from disarming to teenager in seconds flat. He saw a small blush creep onto her cheeks. "I can't say I get that a lot," she joked.

Duo didn't smile back, all seriousness still plastered to his face. He stayed within the barriers of his room, confusion and skepticism overriding the dire desire to flee. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, not quite ready to ask _how_.

The seriousness returned to her and she took a step back, inviting him to leave his dank cell, to step out of the tower and into a world he'd been shut off from for many years. "Because I've been told that you're an integral part in a very important job."

"What job?" he asked, not taking her invitation and staying exactly where he stood. "And by whom?"

She waved him off as if it was nothing, ignoring the second half of his question. "To save the universe," she said.

Duo raised his eyebrow, frozen for a moment in a sense of brief disbelief. It washed away after a second and he waved his hands out in front of him, shaking his head. Was she being serious? When thinking about it Duo suddenly found the whole situation absolutely absurd. "Whoa, kid. You can't just throw that out there," he said, eyeing her garb. She could very well have been serious, seeing as how she was wearing the apparel of a Sailor Senshi. But wouldn't that have meant that she worked for the queen? Why on crystal earth would the queen see it as imperative that he be freed from his cell when she put him there herself?

Hotaru blinked, confused, and cocked her head cutely. "Why not?"

He looked at her like she was crazy before placing a hand to his forehead and turning around, stalking hardheadedly back to his bed. "Why not, she says," he said theatrically, waving his hands in the air. He turned back around to face her and held his arms wide open. "How do you even--what are you--." Duo sighed, shooing her away. "No, no," he said, turning back around towards his bed. "No time for saving the world--oh excuse me, universe." He turned back to her and gave a childish and pompous look. "It's not as easy as it sounds, you know."

Unfazed by both his serious and childish actions, she sighed and nodded in agreement. "I know, I know, I've done it a couple of times myself." She rested her chin on her fist and gave a slightly regretful headshake. "Almost destroyed it myself, once. Boy, _that_ one was not good," she said nearly to herself, eyes lifting to the ceiling as if remembering something from years long passed.

Duo looked at her as if she'd grown another head. "You're a lunatic," he said with such finality that she pouted. "Quick," he made shooing motions with his hands, "lock me back up."

When he stepped forwards to push her back, Hotaru became serious once more. "Duo," she said sternly and quickly, sensing his attention dissipating, "You once dedicated your life to freeing people from what you deemed obsequiousness to a totalitarian regime." He looked her dead in the eye, surprised that she'd actually read something that he'd written. Hotaru recognized the intensity brimming in those indigo eyes. "You can push away all you want but you need to know that you're a vital piece in keeping them from falling into a more literal slavery."

Duo disliked the thought of working with the people he'd strived to condemn. She was garbed in the ridiculous dress of Neo-Queen Serenity's once fabled warriors. He knew that what she so direly protected he absolutely abhorred. But he disliked the sound of the whole universe being destroyed on behalf of his potential stubbornness so he shrugged his shoulders and stepped from his room, noticing a guard slumped to the floor.

"Alright Hotaru," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the body crumpled to the ground, giving it a tiny nudge with his foot. He looked back up to her and noticed that she was smiling an unreadable smile. "How do we save the universe?"

* * *

Minako, or rather Sailor Venus, tore down the streets in search of Mars's signature. She'd latched onto it earlier and ran with a speed she didn't know her legs harbored towards the fire Senshi. She could hear Wufei behind her, surprised and almost proud of how he could barely keep up with her in her Senshi form.

She smiled gently despite the situation. He was so…

Something pulled tightly at the back mind and her head snapped around, having caught sight of Mars's skirt on a rooftop to her left. Her blonde hair whipped around and cement grinded under her shoe as she spun to her left and leapt up to the top of the building.

She could hear Wufei's annoyed grunt as she launched herself and grinned as she landed behind the Senshi of fire. Mars turned to face her and their eyes met in an unsure reunion. Though she was still wrought with overwhelming feelings towards her previous comrades, Venus pulled her guard down enough to let Mars know that Senshi business was more important than personal grudges. When Venus's stance relaxed Mars almost seemed surprised.

"Mars," Venus said sternly, taking slow step towards her. "Did you sense anything?"

Mars looked back over the building, her hair whipping in a grand arc in contrast to Venus's perpetual golden wave. She looked ponderous for a moment, almost as if deciding whether or not she took Venus's open statement as something good or bad. Without turning to face her reinstated leader she responded. "Not at first," she said, eyes narrowing as if disappointed in her own sense of being out of practice. "But it came to me." She turned to face Venus. "It's Makoto."

Venus nodded. "And something else." She looked worried for a moment and only then wondered briefly at the Grand Canyon of gaps that gaped between them. Venus occupied one end of the roof and Mars the other, the two almost shouting over the length of the cement to communicate. The whole situation felt absurd but she couldn't bring herself to walk any closer to Mars.

Mars nodded and it seemed as if she understood Venus in more ways than one as she took a step down from the ledge and faced her full frontal. One arm was situated under the other as she put a finger to her chin. "Not quite human," she said as Venus crossed her arms, "but not quite demon."

Venus nearly smirked, knowing that if anyone retained their Senshi abilities, it would be Mars. "A hybrid," she divulged and Mars raised an eyebrow.

"You know this for sure?"

Venus shook her head, blonde strands disrupting her view and she lifted a finger to swipe them away. "No, not for sure," she said, "it's only an assumption but I have a gut hunch."

Mars pursed her lips. "Do you think whoever's creating these hybrids is linked to the serial killer?"

Venus nodded. "Most definitely," was her only response.

Mars smirked at how easily they'd fallen into their old routine despite their slight contempt for one another. That personal battle would have to be fought later. The more literal, physical and dangerous one was to be taken care of now.

Venus opened her mouth to say something but shut it when she heard the howl of sirens rush past her and Mars below on the street. She looked down, barely surprised, and then made eye contact with Mars. "Where are Neptune and Uranus?" she asked, eyes impatiently roaming the rooftops.

"Still watching over the city," was Mars's silent reply.

Venus watched her grimly, nodding only after a few seconds. "Good. Let them continue with night watch. Me, you, and Ami should conference over this with the queen." And with the final word spoken, Venus stepped to the ledge and leapt off.

Mars watched where she once stood, a frown marring her lips and a look of contemplation swimming in her eyes. She felt unnerved by the command shot in her direction but forced herself to be understanding and shook off the slight feeling of inferiority. Such a thing had rarely crossed her mind and sat heavy in her stomach like a churning sickness. But she wasn't the one who was going to be foul first, oh no, she'd done nothing wrong and there was no reason to assure herself so.

Giving a nod only to Venus's ghost she stepped to the ledge of the building and was prepared to jump off when the door to the roof opened. Surprise gripped her body but faded when she turned to acknowledge the presence. It was Neo-Queen Serenity's other personal bodyguard. She'd seen him at the meeting.

His head swiveled and swept the roof as if looking for something in particular before his eyes finally rested on Mars. She smirked.

"Time to conference with the queen," Mars said loud enough for him to hear.

She could hear his curses even above the whipping of the wind in her ears as she leapt from the ledge.

* * *

Ami awoke to the sound of a bouncing ball, a slow, rhythmic beat that contrasted against her own pulse. The oddity between them unnerved her and caused her eyes to open in mild distaste. They opened slowly, adjusting to the fact that there was little light in the room. Her head pounded with a ferocity she'd never experienced before and she reached a hand up to touch her temple. Only when she realized that she could not, in fact, touch her temple did Ami's eyes truly open.

She looked down swiftly, head protesting with the quick movement and causing her eyes to close tightly in pain. She moved her body around noticing that her hands were bound behind her back and her feet were tied together as well.

Only after wondering how she got into this position did Ami remember what had happened. She remembered a man, a name, and a head wound…

Ami gasped. "Trowa!" she whispered, remembering the hurt man whom she'd been assisting. Flashes came back to her of his massive blood loss and his wound and her arms and legs struggled to free themselves.

This then became evidence of Ami's lack of fieldwork as she had yet to assess the entire situation. She'd missed several crucial steps taught to agents in CS: observe your surroundings, remember how you got into the position you're in, and make as little noise as possible being a few of them.

The beat that woke her up ceased and Ami froze.

"Yes?" she heard from the other side of the room.

Ami lifted her gaze from struggling to free herself and found herself staring into the startlingly beautiful eyes of Trowa. She smiled.

"Thank goodness you're okay, Trowa—" She paused for a moment, as if the entirety of the situation hit her full blast. She was tied and bound, sitting against the wall of a boarded off room, only slivers of moonlight cutting through the splits in the wood. One fell across her leg and another sliced directly across Trowa's face, illuminating the almost emotionless gaze he threw her way. He held a fuzzy tennis ball in his hands, obviously the source of the beat she'd heard before. And he was bound in no way, shape, or form.

Ami's vision narrowed, confused. "Trowa, why am I—"

"How do you know Setsuna?" he asked, cutting her off.

Ami looked surprised for a moment, not hiding it on her face. "That's right," she said. "You were with Setsuna."

They sat across from each other in a moment of silence, Ami acknowledging his presence and Trowa waiting for his answer. It was as if there was a divide between them. On one side of the room there was Ami, sitting silently and patiently as if she'd been the one to ask Trowa the question, her posture proper now that she'd awoken. On the other side of the room sat Trowa, hunched and silent, waiting patiently for the answer to his question, eyes boring unnervingly into her.

"How do you know Setsuna?" he asked again, a cold twinge marring its otherwise emotionless tone.

"Why am I tied up?" she asked in rebuttal. Trowa's face didn't move from its emotionless state but his hands toyed idly with the tennis ball captured between them.

"How do you know Setsuna?" he asked again, the tone and body posture the same, as if telling her he could play this little game with her all night if she was up for it.

Ami frowned. She was patient but there was little to this game that she found necessary. She closed her eyes and sighed, wishing that the harsh pounding would simply cease. "She's an old friend," Ami replied tiredly, giving him a weary glance. "We've known each other for quite some time. We did…business together when I was younger."

"What bus—"

"How do _you_ know her?" Ami asked, the drowsy look and the once fatigued posture righting to an annoyed posture. She'd divulged her information, now it was time for him to spit out his. He sat in silence, watching her with those cold, beautiful eyes in an air of quietude. It seemed as if he was analyzing her, every twitch of her muscle, the sound or waver of her voice, every sigh she took. A tickle of anger shimmied up her back at his blatant dismissal of her question and Ami let it run its course to her mouth. "Listen, I've really got some serious business to attend to that deals with matters far above your own head. If you're done playing these juvenile games then I suggest you let me go. If you're going to kill me, I dare you to try. Now, if you don't want to chose option A or option B I'm afraid I'm going to have to hurt you, and I really don't like hurting people."

Trowa's emotionless look seemed to slip slightly to reveal a brief flash of surprise. The line of his mouth curved upwards and he watched as she glared at him with a firm resolution. With a small shrug of his shoulders he used the wall as leverage and pushed himself up, reaching a hand into his pocket.

Crossing the borders of the room, Ami watched as the moon played slicing shapes across his body, one momentarily flashing across his head wound as if it were the blade that created it. From his pocket he pulled an object that Ami could barely decipher. It was small but long enough to fit into his entire palm. Only when he kneeled in front of her could she actually manage to see what exactly it was he held in front of her face. It was obvious. _Very_ obvious, partially due to the fact that, with a flick of his wrist, a metallic blade was produced. In his hand, Trowa held a butterfly knife poised in front of Ami's face.

She swallowed harshly and in a moment of pure instinct, flicked her wrist and secretly produced her wand in her hands. Trowa leaned in and he and Ami were face-to-face, nearly nose-to-nose. The only object that stood between them was his butterfly knife. Ami's heart thudded in her chest and the words of her transformation begged to fly out of her mouth. And even so, despite the situation, she couldn't help but blush at the closeness of his face.

He leaned over, and Ami closed her eyes, her mouth squeezing out the first syllable of her transformation. It would have finished, too, had she not felt a certain liberty regained by her arms. She realized that her hands had been freed.

Ami looked down in near astonishment, looking at her slightly chafed wrists and wondering just what the hell was going on in Trowa's head. She looked up to ask him this question when she realized that his eyes were trained solely on her hands. Confusion and slight panic coursing through her veins, Ami looked down to realize that her wand was in a vice like grip in her left hand.

The blue and gold of mercury nearly startled her and the shiver that ran through her body was a welcomed one. Just by holding the case of her power she could feel its strength pouring into her. It was a sensation she hadn't felt in far too long. But a momentary sense of terror gripped at her body. Trowa noticed this from a tiny gasp of air that she sucked into her body. Ami couldn't tell what was going to happen next when Trowa cut the ties that bound her feet.

He stood. "It's strange," he said softly, and Ami could only watch in amazement as he reached down a hand to help her up. "She told me I'd come across one of you soon." Ami took his hand and he hoisted her up. Such a feat, however, was too arduous for Ami's hazy brain and she nearly collapsed again right then and there. Trowa caught her around the waist, still holding the arm he'd pulled her up with, and held her up, Ami closing her eyes in momentary pain. "You don't…seem very strong to me," he said.

Ami sighed, still not opening her eyes but relishing in the fact that she didn't necessarily have to hold herself up. "It's been awhile," she deadpanned and used her strength to pull herself up.

Trowa nodded and let her go, watching silently as she got her bearings once again. "Setsuna said that you would need my help—"

He was cut off by an abnormal beeping sound coming from Ami's pocket. She looked down, almost as surprised as he was to hear the familiar melody and hastily pulled it from her clothing. Flipping open the communicator, Trowa watched in interest as she pushed a button and her face was lit up with light.

"Ami?" a voice on the other side asked, a slight crackling disrupting the voice.

Ami glanced at Trowa before turning her eyes back to the screen. "Present, Minako."

"Ami, we need you to return to the palace immediately. There's been an emergency. Director Po told me that you've been working on the parchment, is that correct?"

"Affirmative," Ami responded, only seconds later surprised at her highly militaristic response. Trowa raised an eyebrow at her.

"Good. Bring it with you. We need to figure this shit out as soon as possible. As of tonight there's been two other deaths besides Ernie Down and we need your help doing the autopsies."

"Understood," she said, and was about to hang up when Minako spoke up again.

"Oh, and just so it's not a shock when you get here, Makoto and Heero were just released from urgent care. Both of them are—"

"Urgent care?" Ami's body shook with an emotion she couldn't quite place her finger on. Whether she was frightened for her friend or worried, or angered at Minako's slightly dismissive tone, she couldn't tell. Ami could only assume it was mostly the latter when she spoke next.

Minako sighed. "Don't worry Ami, she's fine, just please get here as soon as you—"

"Got it," she said curtly and before she hung up she gave a few parting words. "Oh, and I'm bringing a companion. Some associate of Setsuna's, not quite sure his function yet but he's obviously here for a reason if she sent him my way," Ami made eye contact with Trowa for a split second before turning her eyes back to the screen.

Minako looked confused for a moment and very hesitant. However, she nodded slowly and responded, "Understood."

Ami nodded quickly. "Mercury out."

Minako responded in kind and Ami shut her communicator. She turned to Trowa. "Hear that?" she asked and he gave her a look. "You're coming with me to the palace Trowa, on official business that could possibly save the universe."

For the moment, all Trowa could do was raise his eyebrow. "It seems almost pathetic to say, but that's not the first time I've heard that."

* * *

It was a reoccurring sound, a faint and muffled beep accompanied only by a similar, muffled beep. Everything was hazy for a moment when Makoto opened her eyes. The ceiling above her swam with white though the room was lit with a soft blue. For a brief moment she wondered just what she was doing and why she wasn't in her apartment…when the night came rushing back to her.

Her body shot up from its lying position and Makoto immediately regretted the action. Her lower back thudded with an immense ache and her shoulder let loose a cascade of sharp pain that didn't dissipate as soon as she'd hoped it would. Thinking she was alone Makoto shut her eyes tight and let loose a quick shout of pain, gritting her teeth and let a shaking hand hover over the wound. From that moment on it was as if she couldn't lie down without a puncture of agony running through her body. Her hands fisted into balls, nails cutting harshly into her palms as she gritted her teeth and shut her eyes in a silent cry.

She hadn't felt a pain like this in years, the sheer force of it able to knock her senses loose. So much so that she hadn't noticed that there was someone else in the room.

"It hurts less if you don't move."

Makoto's eyes shot open and she sat up again, alert and surprised. She was barely able to notice that it was a calm Heero who'd spoken before another shock of almost intolerable pain rippled through her body. "Ahh!" she cried in frustration, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth once more, though remaining in a sitting position, determined not to let her wounds decide how she would ordinate her body. The pain lasted longer however, and she spread her shaking fingers as if to strangle an invisible neck. "Fuck!" she cried when it died away slower. Her breathing was labored and Makoto could feel beads of sweat forming on her head and warmth beneath her bandages. Obviously her wounds had partially reopened.

She heard a tsk from the bed beside her. "I said _don't _move," he reiterated and Makoto turned a painful eye to him.

"You know, usually I'd let your snide remarks go due to your obvious inability to communicate with the human race but frankly I am in _far_ too much pain to deal with your bull, so shut. The hell. Up," she responded, slowing her breaths and watching as he turned his head to face her.

Heero was quiet for a moment. "Hn," was his only response as watched the beads of surprised tears that were prickling at the corner of her eyes fade as she got used to the pain.

Now finding the throb that perpetuated in her shoulder and lower back more bearable, Makoto took the time to look around the room. She was on a small bed, upper body wrapped solely in bandages, as she'd seen Heero's was. Her lower half was garbed in a pair of shorts that seemed blue only due to the eerie lighting. She was hooked up to a load of machines, the only one she was able to identify being the heart monitor, the source of the beeping. When she looked to the large glass window in front of her she could hardly believe what she was seeing.

"You've got to be kidding me," she nearly whispered, eyes widening in partial shock and disbelief. "Are they serious?" she asked, turning her body very, very slowly to face Heero. If she didn't see his heart monitor beeping she would have thought that he was dead, his whole body almost perfectly still.

"They're serious," was his only response as his eyes opened. Slowly he sat up and faced her, Makoto noticing with envy that it seemed almost effortless. She knew it hurt him but the fact that Heero could move without showing emotion was an impressive feat.

"This is—"

"Smart."

Makoto nearly gaped. "Smart?! How can you say this is smart? We go out to save somebody and this is the treatment we get?"

"Don't get so riled up," Heero responded and gave her a look that made her feel so beneath him. "I'll assume the fact that you're in immense pain is clouding your judgment."

"Listen you—"

"Think about it," Heero said curtly, cutting her off. She looked down to see his hands gripping the side of the bed harshly and was at least a little relieved that he felt some physical pain too. "You were bitten, correct?"

Makoto, confused at where this was leading, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, how did you—?"

"Because I was bitten in the same place," Heero acknowledged, looking down towards the apex of his neck and shoulder.

Makoto looked confused. "Okay, but what does that have to do with us—"

"_Think_ about it," he said, voice fluctuating very little. "If there's one creature, one mythical being that bites its victims, what it is?"

Makoto still wasn't getting it. "A vampire?"

"And what happens when someone gets bitten by a vampire?"

Makoto was quiet for a moment, and then it was as if everything started to click. "Holy shit," she said, turning her widening eyes towards Heero's less startled ones. "Holy shit, Heero, they think we're going to turn into _vampires?!_" Makoto couldn't believe it. Sure their wounds gave leeway to an idea as ludicrous as that, but did they honestly believe that they were going to turn into monsters?

"Not necessarily," Heero responded. "But something could happen, and it's smart to be cautious."

"But Heero," Makoto contested. "That…that _thing_…" she could hardly get it out, flashes of white and blood sliding through her mind. "That thing was hardly a vampire."

Surprisingly, Heero nodded. "You know that," he said, " and I know that. And the blood samples they took to analyze will confirm so."

The two were quiet for a moment, the only sound echoing in the room being the heart monitor's steady beeps, reminding them that they were both lucky to be alive. But then, feeling less hurt and shunned, Makoto began sniffing the air. Heero looked at her as if she were a misbehaving child.

Makoto grinned. "Well, I can't smell your blood or hear your heart beat so I guess that's a good sign, right?" she joked, assuming that he'd just brush off her gag like he usually did. But she couldn't help it, she needed to lighten her own mood and the only outlet seemed to be shifting into their usual statures; her the jokester, him the annoyed monotonic agent. Needless to say she was thoroughly thrown off when Heero actually smiled. It wasn't one of his usual smirks, one of those, "sure, I'll give you that one", but a smile that actually broke through his lips and showed his teeth. He looked down as if to hide it but Makoto saw it.

Her face filled with a rouge blush when the beeping on her heart monitor sped up, the sound once rhythmic with his now accelerating to a much faster rate. Heero looked at her with an amused glance as Makoto turned away and coughed into her hand, thoroughly embarrassed by her body's actions. It was embarrassing enough that her heart had sped up, but she chastised herself even more for actually finding his smile more likable than his usual stoic frown.

She cleared her throat. "So!" she said loudly, trying to drown out the sound, mentally reprimanding her heart and demanding that it slow down. She could still feel a slight warmth in her cheeks as she dared a look back at Heero. "What do we do now?"

Heero pursed his lips, all remnants of his smile gone, and Makoto could feel her heart slow back down. "We wait for the blood tests to confirm that there's nothing wrong with us and then we continue with our jobs."

"We wait," Makoto repeated, as if in confirmation. Heero nodded. Makoto sighed. "In quarantine."

Heero nodded in affirmation. "In quarantine."

* * *

Sooo…it's been awhile. But I feel like it's legitimized solely because school has started and I swear _nobody _has updated anything either. The chapter is a little boring, I know, but it's calm before the storm. I can safely say some serious _shit_ is going down next chapter.

**Requiem of Fire:** You know, I really appreciate your continuous positive feedback. Thank you for complimenting my Trowa characterization, he really is the toughest character for me to write. And you're right, Rei and Heero are the same as Trowa, that sort of strange stoicism that makes all three of them so captivating is what's really hard to write. For example, when to make Rei seem ethereal, or mad, or girlish. Ah, it's so tough! But yet, that's the joy of writing; interpreting these things and putting them down in your own way. I've absolutely fallen in love with Minako and Wufei. How their whole relationship turned out surprised me as well, I was not expecting it to turn out this well. It, in turn, has made me like Wufei, a character I used to have little interest in. The reason behind the rift is going to be revealed in next chapter, for sure. Absolutely for sure, I can't wait for you to read the scene between Usagi and Rei. There are a lot of flashbacks too that will show some things. I know Makoto and Heero got a lot of the last chapter but I promise that's not going to be a reoccurring habit. I used most of it to describe the monster who _will_ actually become a big part in the story. Thank you for your feedback! It inspires me to finish it when I know there are at least some people out there who read it :)

**TristaDin:** I know, craziness was in order. Big surprise, right? Haha, well I like to throw things at people they wouldn't expect. Ahh…you see, you're right about it being a fusion (kudos to you my friend!) but it's not necessarily the _monster_ that's trying to take over the universe… for that, you'll just have to wait and see :) I'm glad it was at least somewhat scary, frightening things are always so hard to write. Thank you for your compliments on my character portrayal, I hope I was as good in this chapter. I think I brought out a little more of Makoto's irrational side which she sort of needed. I hope I did Trowa justice, he's just such a toughy…but thanks for your pointers! I like how you refer to him as an animal…that's so true. Hope you liked the little snippet with Duo. He's finally free! I wonder what's going to happen…thank you so much for your review, it means a lot!

**TopazDragon:** Yeah, the typos were a product of my pure laziness. I wrote the end of the chapter one evening and was just like, "ah screw it, just put it out". I'm glad it didn't distract from the reading though, I would hate for my laziness to screw up the flow of the story. Ah, I'm glad the scene with the monster was at least a little bit frightening! I worked pretty hard on that, hoping that it would at least give some suspense. Yeah, with Makoto I tried to reinforce the fact that it _has_ been a really long time since she's used her powers and that she's used to using other mediums instead. Plus, the monster is no ordinary youma…no sassy outfits and multicolored hair—this is something more out of a horror movie.

Yes, things are really starting to add up with the whole rift between the Senshi. Next chapter will be full of mayhem, so much will be going on at once. All of the separate stories will combine and everyone will come together in a big confrontation. Mamoru confronting Usagi, Usagi confronting Rei, Rei confronting Minako, Minako confronting Wufei, Wufei confronting Duo, Duo confronting Heero and etc…I still can't express to you how happy I am that you like my Minako/Wufei pairing. I know that Minako is one of your favorite characters and I think I've molded them both into a pretty functional/dysfunctional relationship. I thought when Wufei was concerned it was quite cute as well…that'll play out a bit more too, his unwillingness to display that he actually cares for her, that is.

Yes, Trowa was a bit harsh, but while he may have been physically rough, I think Ami lashed back with her tongue in this chapter. After I wrote it I was like…you go girl. I totally love writing Ami with attitude because it could totally happen and it would just seem so in your face because she rarely does it. Not too much romantic interaction but perhaps later on in the story (after the next chapter or so) there might be some serious romance going on. You never know…

Thank you too for your constant, helpful feedback. I really enjoy seeing when you've reviewed and what you have to say. As well I love your stories! I can't wait for you to update them :)


	8. A Hello to the Unavoidable

**Toxic**

**Chapter Seven:** ** A Hello to the Unavoidable**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

Ami walked slowly into the palace mortuary, the lab a cold and quiet white. Trowa strode in right behind her, his hands shoved into his worn pockets and eyes scanning the room suspiciously. The place seemed innocuous to Ami, she having been there plenty of times in the past and the image of medical utensils and dead bodies somewhat of a norm for her. For Trowa, however, it sparked something familiar within his brain and caused an unnerving feeling to gather in his chest.

On three separate tables lay their three victims: Ernie Down, Jane Doe # 1, and the remnants of Jane Doe # 2. She walked over to Ernie Down's table, his death already confirmed by poison and heart attack, before walking over to Jane Doe # 1. Her body had that unsympathetic Y shaped, sewn up confirmation of her death. Her wounds, however, were far more noticeable than Ernie Down's because they were far more physical. With a heavy heart Ami moved on towards their next victim's table, swallowing with a dry throat at what was left for the coroners to gather. The body was open, entrails already splayed across it, having just been brought in from the field.

Ami tsked as she heard the door to the mortuary open. Sailor Venus walked in followed by Sailor Mars and that other man, Wufei, the distance between all of them enough to scream awkwardness.

Sailor Mars paused, the first to notice that there was someone else in the room besides Ami. He was a tall figure, some blood caked on his face and he was sporting a large, familiar bruise on his left eye…

Mars' eyes widened. "You!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger to Trowa, remembering him as the bundled, hunched man who'd come to the club for marijuana. He was such an enigma, why on Crystal Earth was he in the palace morgue with Ami? "What are you doing here?" she voiced with frustration. "Civilians aren't—"

"It's okay, _Mars_, he's with me," Ami voiced quickly, trying to save Rei's identity. It was already lost, however, when Trowa leaned in with recognition.

He took his shabby coat from around his shoulders and crossed his arms, a shrunken blue sweater all that was covering his upper body. "So you're one, too," he said almost inaudibly as Rei's face turned almost as red as her skirt. He could tell that in her mind she was releasing every cuss word she could think of at her indiscretion. Her annoyance came around, however, as Mars de-transformed, much to Venus's consternation, and walked further into the morgue.

"It doesn't matter any more then. If he's _with you_, as you say, then he's bound to know who we are anyway, right _Mercury_?" Rei forced through clenched teeth as Venus followed her with an incredulous and despondent stare. "Why is he with you, anyway?" she asked, standing in front of Jane Doe # 1, eyes trained only on the pasty, inanimate body.

Ami watched her carefully, slow to respond. "I found him injured in the Black Ops courtyard," she began gently. Wufei glanced at Trowa and their eyes connected for a split second. Trowa felt only a tiny shock of remembrance while Wufei racked his brain for where he'd seen this man and how he knew him.

Venus turned to Ami in shock. "_That's_ why you brought him—"

"He was helped by Setsuna," Ami finished harshly, quite perturbed by the footing they were all starting off on. Collaborating and acquiescence were the things they needed to provide them with a working operation. The petty bickering they were dispensing at the present moment needed to desist. "Now if we're done worrying about frivolous things with a fruitless end, I suggest we actually look at the problem at hand," she waved her arms dramatically over the three dead bodies, "and figure out a damn solution."

Sailor Venus glanced barely at Ami's agitated, stiff shouldered stance before looking down at Jane Doe #1. She reached under the table and found a clipboard there, flipping up the first page and then letting it flutter back down. "Arika Tsuzuma," she said, feeling the tension that had begun to spread throughout the room begin to dissipate. "23 years of age, attending the Old University. That's nearly all that was pulled from her about who she was."

Ami nodded silently, still feeling a smidge of awkwardness but trying to let it go and push forward. She walked over to the middle table and pulled a box from underneath it. Inside were her clothes, a white blouse and floral patterned skirt stained with blood. Two, black high heels were placed inside as well, and a small purse cluttered with tiny, girlish items. The last item was a book. "Was there a card?" Ami asked and Venus nodded, flipping to the third page where a small evidence bag was placed.

"Yep," she said, pulling out the bag that had another, albeit smaller, fingerprint on it with the fancy, curving letters spelling out, _Second Victim_. Venus flipped up another page and frowned. "But wait," she said, pulling another bag from the board, "there's another letter as well." She flipped the bag over to see if she could distinguish some of what was written. The look on her face turned grim. "It's written in Lunarian, too."

Ami's lips pursed. She stood to inspect it when the door to the mortuary opened. All five of the room's inhabitants looked up, surprised and alert as Agent Noin stepped slowly into the light. The front of her shirt was still stained with Jane Doe # 2's blood; her standard white, button up Black Ops uniform tainted with an unfortunate victim's life sustenance. Her sleeves were rolled to her elbows and despite her obvious attempts to keep her cool demeanor, that pallid tone to her face gave her away. "She was found in the Old University Library," she said, nodding towards the box, "with that book and the letter in her hand. The card was on the Librarians desk."

Ami reached into the box and pulled out the book. She could tell easily through the evidence bag that it was an older book, one of those that added to the musky smell of libraries, its pages faded and thin. The cover was nothing spectacular; a plain, dark green and the edges were slightly worn. The title, printed in cold, block lettering, shone gold in the light and reflected the words, _Massacre and Conquest; Fierroche_. With no author on the front cover, Ami turned it over to see if there was one on the spine or even the back. Nothing. "And the third victim?"

Rei walked over and pulled out the clipboard while Noin swallowed harshly. "Emmanuelle Cirreux. Age, 32, receptionist at that posh, French Hotel _Elan_," Rei said, pulling the two bags from the clipboard. "Card reading third victim and another note in Lunarian," she said, holding them up for the group to see.

Ami sat down on a small stool, setting down the bag that held the book and holding her hand out for the clipboard that Venus held. Said girl surrendered it and Ami looked over the details. The bodies had already been processed, unlike Venus had led her to believe, but the details merely needed to be relayed to the rest of those involved in the investigation.

Reading the coroner's notes, Ami's frown grew deeper. "It looks as if whomever killed Arika Tsuzuma worked for a certain specialty," she said, her foot beginning to bounce in anticipation.

"What sort of specialty?" Wufei asked, leaning against the wall next to her. His hands were crossed much like Noin's, and for Ami it was easy for her to see that they worked in similar ways. Strange as it was, however, for one guarded a Queen while the other worked in Black Ops.

Ami cleared her throat. "Coercion," she said, turning to make eye contact with him. "Torture," she finished, softly, turning back to the notes. "Her killer was most likely human, like Ernie Down's."

Venus's frown matched Ami's. "But I thought you said his killer was most likely a Youma," she pointed out.

"I did," Ami said almost impatiently, "but I also pointed out that he was _poisoned,_ something Youma's just _don't_ do. If the only other victim had been Ms. Cirreux over there then I would have believed that Ernie Down's case would have been to mask the fact that Youma had returned," she said, biting her lip. "However, since Youma's don't poison and they don't torture with human methods, I really don't believe that these two were killed by Youma."

Wufei, wanting this to move quicker, voiced his question. "Then how were they both killed by a human when the third victim, Emmanuelle Cirreux, was killed by a Youma but left with the same calling card and note?"

"A copy cat?" Mars suggested.

Noin shook her head. "Not likely, nobody knows about the cases except for the Director, the Queen, and obviously us."

"What are the specifics of her death?"

All heads in the room turned slowly to Trowa, the only anomaly in the room. Ami swallowed, for some reason still unnerved by him, but looked down to the papers quickly. Minako looked at him suspiciously out of the corner of her eye, wondering just who he was and what his relation was to Ami.

Ami cleared her throat, not comfortable with the sudden silence that had suffocated them. "Let me see," she said, eyes looking over the page. The worry grew with each moment as she read the words on the paper.

Rei, noticing her former friend's slight anxiety, placed a hand on her shoulder. Ami jumped, surprised at the touch, and looked up to Rei, who'd pulled her hand back quickly, startled. "Why do you look so worried?" Rei asked almost monotonously, not sure why she'd touched Ami but also taken aback by her unprepared reaction.

Ami looked back down to the paper, not quite sure why her stomach was twisting or why it suddenly became so hard to breathe. "U-um…" she started, flipping a page up and then letting it fall back down. "How she was killed is a routine interrogation technique."

"Interrogation?" Noin asked, confused and now slightly worried as well.

Ami nodded. "She sustained a puncture wound approximately five inches above the knee and two and a half inches to the left of the knee that breached the femoral artery—meaning that whoever tortured her got what he or she wanted."

Venus looked confused. "How's that?"

Ami stood and walked over to the body, the rest in the room following behind her except for Trowa who stood against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Ami glanced at him for a split second, still slightly worried about the blood that shone off of his forehead. That was another mystery that she'd solve after this one. She turned back to the body, pointing to the marks on the skin. "You see these?" she said, pointing to cuts and puncture wounds, "none of these would kill her, they're all torture shots that, if treated right, would not result in exsanguination."

Wufei frowned. "Are you saying that these wounds were partially treated to keep her from bleeding to death?" When Ami nodded Wufei's faint anger grew—Not towards anyone in the room but for the depravity of humanity.

Ami pointed to the body again. "Her sternum was bruised here; probably the initial hit to put her down and here," she pointed her face where her cheek was bruised, "he would slap her to keep her awake, to make sure that she would continue feeling the pain." Ami looked back down to the papers. "And if her body wouldn't stay awake from physical encouragement then he used ammonium carbonate," she said, pointing to where it was written on the paper. "Remnants of it were found at the crime scene."

"Not to mention the bruising around her wrists," came Trowa's voice from the wall.

They all looked up, surprised at his voice as Trowa kept his eyes closed. Ami looked down to the victim's wrists and noticed that they were, in fact, bruised as he had so duly noted. How he'd seen it, however, concerned her. There was far more to this man than he was letting on.

"What's ammonium carbonate?" Rei asked Ami, still not taking her suspicious eyes from Trowa.

Ami's lips pursed as she looked back down to the body. "Smelling salts," she responded almost absentmindedly. "Why I think her killer got what he wanted is _because_ of her breached femoral artery," her hand hovered above the dead woman's knee. "This was the kill shot, this is what put Arika Tsuzuma out of her misery and killed her."

Venus was at a loss for words, but her single question managed to find its way out of her mouth. "But why on Crystal Earth was a twenty-something, Old University student tortured?"

Noin harrumphed. "That's our next job," she said grimly, used to situations such as this. Not so much to this extreme, but strange killings and mysterious things were what Black Ops handled. She walked over to the third victim. "Her death, however, was obvious," she said lowly, surprised at how much emotion she had to hold back. "Mutilation," she spat out, "that damn monster was trying to _eat_ her and it was feasting on her blood; something it tried to do to my partner and your friend." Noin watched as two of the three seemed to cower subtly at the mention of the word friend.

Rei, being the first to recover, asked Noin, "What exactly did this monster look like?"

Noin cringed. "They very essence of the word," she said, her mind trying desperately to _forget_ just what it looked like. "It was like some creature out of a horror movie," she shivered, "it was all white and tall as hell. It had all these serrated teeth and nails like razor blades. It was completely naked, yes, with all human-like body parts, but its head was bald, it barely had a nose, and its ears were small and slightly pointed." Noin swallowed harshly. "Not to mention that its eyes were this deep red and it was faster than any living thing I've ever seen move."

Venus frowned, placing a hand to her chin. "That sounds like no Youma I've ever seen," she said worriedly, turning to Ami. "I have a hunch that it's some sort of mutant. Human and Youma," she said softly.

Ami looked disgusted. "Who would be morbid enough to merge a human with a Youma?" Ami asked. "And why would it be after blood and not power or energy?"

"All noted questions," Venus nodded, "that I don't really have the answer to."

The mortuary became quiet, all members present in the chilly area down trodden with the task at hand. Ami in particular couldn't stand the fact that this Old University student had been tortured and that the French woman had been mutilated and eaten. Could the predators that stole their lives really be a human and Youma hybrid? All they had were a book and three people—

"Wait!" Ami called out, her heart thumping quickly as each pair of eyes jumped to her excited form. "Ernie Down was a Coyote, correct?" she asked, standing and walking quickly over to his body.

Wufei looked confused. "Sure, but what does that have to do with—"

Ami held up a finger. "At CS we once did a case concerning a man smuggling Frenchmen into Crystal Tokyo." She walked over to a nearby computer and began to type away, the other occupants in the room looking at one another in bewilderment.

"Why would anyone want to sneak Frenchmen into Crystal Tokyo?" Venus asked, baffled as to why it was important or the sheer point of doing so.

Ami smirked. "Blood brothers. Real, poor Frenchmen to help build the _Coup D'état_." Her fingers clacked noisily on the keys as the confusion grew amongst those who didn't know where Ami was headed with these revelations.

Rei raised an eyebrow. "That lame gang of French guys on the east side?" she asked. "I'd hardly say there's anything sinister about them, what would be the point in boosting their numbers?"

Venus turned towards her. "How do you know about the _Coup D'état_?" She asked. "From what I understand they're pretty low key, not to mention deep underground." It hadn't meant to be a slight but Venus watched as Rei's jaw clenched.

She tossed her hair slightly and gave Venus a small cold shoulder. "They come into the club a lot," she said haughtily and then added lowly under their breath, "and they think they can sweep you off into bed because of their French accents."She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess when they're in a grimy place and they've had a few drinks to loosen their lips they're not afraid to try and catch a lady's eye with dropping the fact that they're in a gang." When the others in the room looked at her strangely, Rei looked confused. "What?" she asked. "A lot of girls who work there like the prospect of danger."

Venus nodded her head slowly and Rei glared at her. "Uh-huh."

Ami waved her hands quickly to prevent any confrontation. "Anyways!" she said loudly, interrupting what was sure to be a battle of the wits. "As I was saying… the _Coup D'état _formed because of…" she stood and grabbed the book that was sitting on the table, the plastic cold in her now warm hands, "…the massacre of Fierroche."

Noin was uncertain. "What is the massacre of Fierroche?" she asked.

Ami cleared her throat and was about to explain when somebody cut her off.

"Fierroche was a small village in rural France. The French would take military missions to Japan in the late 19th century to help build and enforce the Imperial Japanese Navy." Ami's breath was caught in her throat. How did a homeless man know this? "There was a building rumor that the staying French had a side mission, a secret one besides helping modernize Japan." Trowa opened his eyes and looked out to the astonished faces that were staring at him. "A small group of burgeoning Japanese soldiers attempted to retrieve this secret but supposedly failed, resulting in, suspiciously, a French fleet being pulled back to France. It is proposed that the secret was taken back to its home and hidden in a place where nobody would think to look for it."

Minako's heart thudded. "Rural France…" she divulged breathily, staring incredulously at the nearly stoic yet fairly informed man.

Ami couldn't believe his knowledge. "Yes," she said, "Fierroche."

Rei didn't understand. "So where does massacre come in?"

At this point Ami took over. "Some of the Japanese soldiers claimed that they'd seen the secret and that it harbored something so dangerous that it could destroy not only France and not only Japan, but the entire world."

"So what did they do?" Noin asked, enthralled in the historical story.

Ami's look became foreboding. "They sent a covert op into France to retrieve the secret, destroy it, and to destroy anyone who knew about it."

Rei balked. "So they massacred an entire village?" At Ami's nod her blood began to boil. "They killed numerous people for a petty _secret_?" she asked again, astonished at the revelation.

"A secret that could potentially destroy the world," Noin interjected.

Rei whipped around, not humored by her inference. "_Nothing_ can destroy the entire world but mass nuclear warfare," she nearly spat, and Noin held up her hands, accompanied by a raised eyebrow.

"Anyway…" Ami intervened, eyes shifting between Noin and Rei as they watched each other carefully. "It is rumored that the op did not do what they were told and they did not destroy the secret. Instead," she said, turning back towards the computer to continue clacking on the keys, "…instead it's said that they brought it back to Japan."

"Were there any survivors of the massacre?" Venus asked hopefully, wondering if there was still a small breadcrumb trail that they could follow.

Ami nodded. "Not many, but some escaped. And one," she said, reaching out and grabbing the third clipboard, "is none other than Jean-Claude Elan," she said, pointing to the name of the hotel that was listed on the sheet. "Great grandfather of Francois Elan, current owner of the entire Elan hotel chain."

"And notoriously known for his involvement with the _Coup D'état_," Trowa added, putting together another link.

Noin was nearly breathless at their sudden discovery. "But what is Ernie Down's involvement?" she asked.

Ami smirked and turned back to the computer. "You know the case I was telling you about?" she asked, not turning around to the acknowledging nods she received. "Well," she said, "the Coyote was the one and only…" she clicked a final button dramatically and pushed her chair away from the screen to reveal the face and name, "…Jacob Down. Cousin to our dearly deceased Ernie Down."

It was as if the air was sucked out of the room. All was silent as they looked at the picture on the screen in pure awe. Ami bit her lip and looked back to the tables with the dead bodies, her eyes making a small connection with Trowa's as everyone else in the room blanched at Jacob Down's picture.

"The _Coup D'état_ was formed in the 1950's to retrieve the secret from Japan after the second World War. They failed at first and have been building themselves up to strike. Only problem is, they barely do anything wrong. If they do it's nearly impossible to catch them thus it's hard to officially label them as a priority."

"So," Rei said, recovering and crossing her arms. "We have Jacob Down, a Coyote who was sneaking in Frenchmen to build the underground gang the _Coup D'état_ and his cousin, now deceased Ernie Down, who was most likely in the same line of business."

Ami nodded. "Correct."

"And we have a dead student with a book relating to early Japan-France international relations concerning a mysterious secret and a pointless massacre," Rei continued. At Ami's second nod she went on. "Then we have a receptionist from the hotel belonging to a Frenchmen highly involved with illegal, poor Frenchmen to boost the size and strength of the aforementioned _Coup D'état_." At Ami's final nod she placed a finger to her chin.

"So now we have to figure out the connection between _why_ these people were killed, perhaps _what_ this rumored secret could be, and _who_ the hell that monster was and it's connection to these murders," Wufei followed up. "Not to mention how on Crystal Earth letters written in Lunarian are involved."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Venus asked, slightly rhetorically.

Noin sighed. "With time," she said, depleted. "Something of which we have _very_ little of."

* * *

There's always been that pithy statement, "calm before the storm." It was characterized by a moment of hesitantly and uncomfortably breathless stages, the apprehensive tingle that _something_ was itching to happen coursing through your veins. Rei wasn't sure if those cumbersome hours were upon them as they sat awaiting the queen, but she was positive that the storm was approaching far too quickly for her liking. It was like those ominous, heavy gray clouds were nipping at their heels, the tension that had pursued them for decades finally bending to encompass the palace in a humid-like suffocation.

She watched her once fellow warriors closely: Ami was uncharacteristically fidgeting. Her legs were crossed daintily but one foot bounced to a quick paced beat nobody could hear but her. Perhaps it was anxiety that gripped at her organs causing the blood to pump swiftly, limbs accounting for the discomfort. Her arms were crossed below her chest almost as if to protect her from some unwillingness. Her eyes tried to remain calm but Rei noticed they shifted skeptically to her companion posted next to her, the man she'd introduced as Trowa. His part in this amalgamation of disassembled puzzle pieces eluded Rei. The de-transformed Minako sat next to Wufei, the two whispering timidly at the other end of the table. Occasionally she would peek down towards Rei and Ami but if she did it was only a slingshot glance.

And then there was Rei. No companion with her, no one to whisper to or glance at, but a room with two former allies staring her down as she leaned back in her chair. The contention between them strung her nerves high and the bubbling words were trying to push through her firmly pursed lips. Rei was conflicted; she felt that if they got over their issues now the team would become more cohesive and the rusty inner workings of their contingency would be lubricated with the ability to work side by side. But then again this was not necessarily the appropriate moment to start a quarrel that would most likely be something along the lines of a 'bitch fight'. Rei weighed the options in her head, balancing the pros and cons of each decision. The right one came quick, though she wasn't sure if it was the humming irritation within her that influenced her and, as she leaned forward, unzipped her lips.

"This is pathetic."

Her voice hung in the air like a scent, the echo seeming to go on forever until, like a perfume, it faded away. Four pairs of eyes turned her way, speculative, reprimanding. Minako looked the most uncomfortable, as if to tell Rei that now was not the most suitable time for this. Ami merely looked down, as if she'd felt it coming the whole time. Rei shook her head softly, as if to acknowledge their silent and unvoiced opinions.

"Rei, I'm not sure—"

"No," Rei cut her off, surprised by how calm she felt as she leaned back in her chair. "No, now is the _perfect_ time to do this." The Senshi of fire watched as Minako pursed her lips, the frown that captivated her face so unlike her. "We're dealing with forces far different from youma. We need to be able to interact out of Senshi form. And if we," she gestured to the three of them, "cannot operate as a fully functional team then this mission is shot to hell."

Rei heard Ami sigh and spared the small girl a glance, although it looked as if she didn't exactly want to articulate anything. Minako, on the other hand, looked as if she was ready to burst with decades worth of things she'd prepared to say. That look faded as quickly as it had manifested, however, and she calmed into their levelheaded leader once again.

The blonde shook her head as if telling a child slowly that they were in the wrong. "No Rei. I'm sure we can act like adults here and—"

"No, you're the childish one, Minako." The usually sunny blonde looked surprised and Rei most nearly smiled. This needed to end, these pathetic grudges that they held were invading a once well-oiled group and thus disrupting function to probably the most important moments in Crystal Earth's history. It was about time she evoked some sort of emotion from Minako. "If you have something to say to me or Ami then _say_ it."

The proposition was left wide open and it looked as if Minako lurched at the opportunity. Feelings that had been repressed for so long resurfaced as her fingers gripped the edge of the table harshly. "Fine," she said, voice nearly breaking. "If this is what you want, Rei, then I suppose it will have to be your way once again."

Rei smirked. _Finally_ it started to come out.

"You know what I think?" Minako said, turning in her chair to face Rei directly.

Rei cocked her head. "No, what do you think, Minako?"

"I think you all skipped out because you didn't want the burden of protecting your best friend anymore," she said, leaning forwards. Minako watched as Ami and Rei made eye contact, the former surprising Minako with a nod.

"You're right, Minako," she said softly though not with admittance but with the ability to keep her voice lower and more calm than her former friends.

Surprised was the least of Minako's emotions at the moment. Astounded and shocked were perhaps the most prevalent vocabulary for her feelings. Those first strums of emotion were then soon replaced by a flaming rage. "Are you saying that—"

"What she's saying," Rei interjected, her youthful temper rising as well, "is that Usagi can full well protect herself." The words were a little harsher than she'd meant them to be, and not necessarily what she meant, but Rei felt the impressiveness of the assertion had Minako reeling.

"You can't be serious," she seethed.

Rei nodded her head. "We are." Minako shook her head with the utmost disappointment. "Think about it, Minako. We did far less protecting of the queen than she did of us."

Minako's mouth was nearly hanging open. "That's preposterous!"

Ami frowned. "But is it, Minako?"

Minako turned to the bluenette and snapped back. "Even if it was, it doesn't matter." The two other Senshi in the room looked nearly confused. "You were given a job, a _birth right_, you were given an obligation that you slinked out on. You betrayed your _best friend!_" she cried. Her voiced lowered and she also admitted, "and you betrayed me, too." She pointed her finger to Rei and to Ami. "You argued that it was time for you to live your normal lives." The two nodded in acceptance to her accusation. "But the fact of the matter is you _aren't_ normal. You don't _get_ normal lives, that's not what you signed up for when you became a Senshi."

Rei frowned. "Who said I signed up for anything?" she asked, watching Minako with a careful eye.

"Are you saying that you regret being a Senshi, that you lament the years we spent saving the world?"

"No—"

"Then what are you saying?"

Rei sat for a moment, her eyes focused solely on her intertwined fingers. In a flood of words, Quatre's concise points came rushing back to her. "It's hard to be a part of something when you know that it's just not for you, that you really just don't belong," she relayed, remembering exactly what Quatre had said to her."But there's also a feeling in me that I'm intrinsically part of it. It's a part of me and I'm a part of it, whether I like it or not. I try to give it up, get away…" she looked Minako dead in the eye, "But I know that there's a bigger and more important duty that I have to uphold somewhere else." She looked down. "So in a sense, Minako, yes, I understand they we were perhaps running away from our duties, our birth given rights. But you also have to understand that while we do uphold a greater honor than anyone else on this planet, that's not what completely makes up who we are."

Minako looked confused.

"We're human too, Minako. Tell me, how happy are you really still serving as Sailor Venus?"

Minako shook her head. "To protect the common good, Rei, some of us need to give things up."

Ami leaned forward. "We understand that, Minako, but there are things that we, and you, deserve. Usagi has nearly all of those amenities—"

"Yes, but she also carries the burden of ruling an entire country!"

"But she also had the love of her life and her best friends right there next to her helping her!" Ami said in rebuttal, voice finally rising. "Minako, I loved you girls like sisters. I _still_ do somewhere inside of me, but there are instances when I feel that I'm being held in captivity."

Minako looked appalled. "How could you possibly say that?" she questioned. "Usagi gave up her _life_ for us, so that this whole world could live in peace. How can you demean a sacrifice like that?"

"Because we gave up our lives for her and this world _numerous_ times as well!" Rei cried, nearly standing. "It was balanced, Minako, no matter what you say you know that we gave as much to her as she gave to us."

Minako quieted, putting her head in her hands and shaking it, finding their ludicrous argument unfathomable.

"I may feel bad for leaving but I had to realize that the human self only finds importance in reciprocal relationships—"

"And you all had _plenty_ of reciprocal relationships! Are you insinuating that I cared for you less that some other person, someone you couldn't possibly have known as long as you knew me, could have?

Ami shook her head. "No." She looked troubled for a moment. Ami sighed. "Minako, we understand that we left a duty to live lives outside of what we were destined to be. It was not necessarily deserting our jobs as a Senshi but it was taking a time from when there was continental and world peace and using the opportunity to explore life."

"I—"

"You decided to stay because your desire to do the right thing was stronger than ours. _You_ are the perfect soldier Minako and that is precisely why you are our leader. Your ability to care for others more than yourself is what sets you apart from us. What you did was right. But there is no way that you can reprimand us for wanting to live our lives in a time of peace, when that otherworldly duty we were supposed to uphold no longer takes precedence," Ami said, her voice rising even more. "Do not tell me I am in the wrong for wanting to find a love like Usagi's and _do not_ tell me I am in the wrong for wanting to lead a human life. I promised I would return to this lifestyle as soon as evil resurfaced, and where am I now? Exactly where I said I would be."

Minako gave them both a watery smile and looked at them with a small sense of pity. "So you left," she said, and the other two could hear that she was trying not to cry. "I guess I understand now."

Rei looked wary. Ami had been quite eloquent and her point had been thorough, but was it enough to sway her after years of repressed feelings? Rei knew it was too good to be true when she said her next words.

"But you also have to understand that you broke her heart."

Rei swallowed harshly, feeling like she was drinking cotton balls. "Usagi let us go, Minako. Sure she was sad, but—"

Minako held up her hand. "No, I don't think you understand," she said lowly. "_You broke her heart_," she said making sure to emphasize each word, her eyes specifically trained on Rei. "She had nightmares for months after you guys left. Mamoru couldn't console her, he didn't quite understand," Minako said, running a hand through her hair. "So I was there for her, a singular shoulder for her to cry on when the others put themselves before a friend."

"Minako…"Ami began.

"No!" Minako cut her off, standing. "I _know_ what you were feeling because I had the same desires. But I knew that if I were in Usagi's position I wouldn't want to be left all by myself, I would want my sisters there right beside me."

Rei stood too. "You can't—"

"So I GAVE UP what you received and you want to tell me that I'm in the wrong?" She cried before suddenly laughing a small ironic laugh, her throat tightening to such a degree that it was hard to even speak. "And now even the one person I stood by thinks I'm making my life more about the job." She looked to the ceiling, blinking furiously and trying not to cry. "You know what? Each and every one of you can just go to hell," she said, pushing her chair back so harshly that it fell to the floor. "Including Usagi," were her last words before she left the room.

Rei and Ami made eye contact and both couldn't help the small sense of regret that twanged in the back of their minds as they watched her walk away.

Wufei got up after a moment and followed her out of the room.

* * *

Minako stumbled into the palace gardens, unaware that she was now surrounded by her once fortified haven. Her glistening orbs held something akin to fear but more closely related to disbelief and sorrow. Eyes wide, she wandered the narrow, rocky paths without a destination in mind or even an awareness to what exactly she was doing. She felt almost drunk; her steps were wobbly and the world spun around her in a haze of darkness and green.

She heard quick footsteps behind her and swung around, body acting of its own accord while her thoughts were stuck in limbo. Her arms flailed out and were caught deftly by two strong hands, wrapping around her wrists and holding her still as she tried to free herself.

"Let me go, goddammit!" she cried, struggling to free herself as Wufei held tight to her arms. He noticed her lift her leg in an attempt to kick him and spun her around, pressing her back to his chest but holding tight to her wrists. She pushed against him roughly, her elbows jabbing into his skin with a force Wufei knew was going to bruise.

He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from impacting so much harm on him and leaned down to speak to her. "Minako, please calm down."

Minako grit her teeth, fingers trying to claw at the arms that held her tight. "How?" she cried, trying to prevent the salty substance that began to pool in the corner of her eyes. "How can you even ask me to do such a thing?"

"Because," Wufei said sternly, holding her tighter, "you need to realize that everything will be okay."

"How can you say that?!" she screamed, face red with anger, with the pain that shocked her heart and dulled the feeling of her limbs. Her eyes squeezed shut and she emitted a clenched scream so pitiful and heart wrenching it made Wufei's throat tighten. Her jaw released and her mouth opened with unknown words.

Minako's body began to crumple to the ground but he held her up, her legs folding beneath her as his muscles strained to keep her standing. "Please Minako," he said sternly, lowering one arm to catch her around her middle and pull her higher. "Don't cry, there's no need for tears."

Her head fell back against his chest and he watched with a deep embarrassment and admiration as she broke down in his arms. Her chest shook with sobs, though no sound came from between her lips. It was as if she were on mute, mouth open and strung with pain, a sob choking at her chest as tears poured from her eyes but no utterance was emitted. That is, until she took a gulp of air, eyes opening as if a shock had been sent through her body.

"Stop crying, Minako," Wufei said again sternly, lifting her to a standing position as her limbs refused to hold up her body. "You need to stand on your own."

Her head shook, blonde tresses falling into her eyes and shielding them from view as her body was racked with more sobs. "I can't do this," she garbled, voice unnaturally strained. "I can't take this anymore," she continued, hanging limply in Wufei's arms.

"You can," he said, hiking her up so that she stood on her own two feet, "and you will." He let go of her. Minako stumbled for a moment, legs wobbly before eventually finding ground and standing steadily. She turned slowly to face Wufei and he swallowed harshly at the red blotchy mess that amounted to be her face.

"Why?" she asked, eyes ablaze and, for some reason, infuriated.

Wufei sighed. "Things like this happen, Minako—"

"Not that." Wufei looked confused. "Why do you care so much for me?"

Her question caught him off guard and Wufei was sure the surprise was evident in his features. His eyebrows rose and he reeled back slightly in surprise.

"Why?" she asked again.

His look hardened, stone features replacing the once calm and caring ones that had overtaken before. He took a step back and placed his hands in his pockets, not voicing any amount of concern for her or an answer to her question. They stared at each other for a while, eyes locked in a silent battle of push and shove, neither breaking nor backing down.

"Why!" she demanded again, taking a step towards him and pointing an accusing finger. "Why, when things get rough, are you always there for me? Why do you always care when things go wrong?" She shoved her finger into his chest and he grabbed her hand in a solid grip, not smiling. "Why do you wake me when I have nightmares and hold me when I cry?" His look was still hard as a rock, almost angry, and more tears ebbed from her eyes. "Why do you give me so much genuine advice and try to make me laugh?"

He shook his head slowly, silently telling her that it wasn't the time.

"Yes!" she yelled, jabbing him with her other finger until he captured that one too. "You _will_ tell me! I will _not_ let you do to me what they have!" They stood for a moment, both of her hands captured tightly in his and her eyes most nearly begging for an answer. He stared at her with a blank demeanor, however. Her breaths slowed and her eyes lost their fury as he held tight to her hands. The strength in her voice faded and she looked at him with the most pitiful pleading eyes. "What are you doing with me, Wufei?"

He sighed and dropped her hands, turning to look away from her. "Minako…"

"No, Wufei, answer me," she said, grabbing his shirt and forcing him to turn back towards her. She was sick of people tip-toeing around her, of not being straight with her and dodging around issues. She was sick and tired of being stepped on and giving up everything for the people around her. For once she wanted someone to _answer_ her. "What are you doing to me?!"

He gave a frustrated growl and turned harshly to face her, grabbing her face tightly with his own two hands. "What _aren't _you doing to me?!" he nearly snarled, angry at her for unveiling such emotions within him. Her surprised look spoke volumes in the amount that she hadn't expected him to break so easily or exactly how he was going to react. But she had no idea the power she had over him…

"You have no idea," he articulated, shaking his head as if she were an unknowing child. "You have _no_ idea…" She watched as his lips pressed together tightly and he tried not to focus on her. "I don't _like_ feeling—" he sighed, "I hate showing _anything_…"

Minako watched him struggle for the words he wanted to say and for a moment she was struck breathless. The man who always had something to tell her, who'd always come back with a snide remark or even a comforting phrase like "stop crying, Minako", was at a loss for words. His struggle made her heart clench and her stomach twinge with an unwanted caring as adrenaline spiked through her body.

Minako, in a spout of pure instinct, grabbed his head like he had hers and pulled it down harshly, bringing his lips to hers. It was a soft kiss, almost chaste in its quickness, but it caused Wufei to open his eyes and look down at her. She still looked sad, she still looked confused, and she still looked angry, but she'd kissed him nonetheless. He thought it was merely an accident until she did it again. The anger in her face drowned away and the frustration tingling in his limbs all but disappeared as he pulled her face, still grasped in his hands, towards his to place a harsh kiss to her lips.

Her hands pulled at his shirt almost painfully and the look on their faces, eyes closed, was almost one of agony as they pressed their lips together. She pulled at his chest almost furiously as he gripped at her face, pressing harder and harder into her as she bent to his domination.

They stumbled backwards for a moment, not focusing on where they were or even, necessarily, what they were doing. Minako's body seemed to work of its own accord, her lips working quickly and mercilessly against his. It was like an angry, bottled up dam and been released as his fingers ran achingly through her hair as she tried to bring their bodies as close as humanly possible. Wufei didn't know what he was doing, he didn't know why he was giving in to her and succumbing to the emotions he fought so hard to stray from, He had no idea what would happen once their passion died down. But all he kept thinking was…

…She had no idea.

Absolutely no idea.

* * *

Mamoru watched his wife as she walked along the palace halls, the moon casting its protective glow along her silken sleeping gown. Her hair was let down, like it usually was when she slept, and it shone opposite of the satellite that carried her name. It was golden like a sun, a radiant blonde that he loved to run his fingers through.

She walked almost as if floating, the heels of her feet barely touching the ground as she glided across the floor to wherever her destination was. At first he thought she could have been cheating on him, the bed left cold and empty beside him. But his heart knew better than his mind and told him that a love like theirs was simply irreplaceable. He followed her nonetheless.

If she was sneaking away from his side at night and not telling him about it during the day then obviously there was something going on that she was hesitant in telling him. Perhaps he just needed to see it with his own eyes…

* * *

Hotaru suddenly looked up and Duo paused beside her. Her head whipped around and he looked confused, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Is everything okay?" he asked softly, not wanting them to be heard.

Hotaru shook her head. "I forgot she stepped so lightly," she mumbled to herself as she turned and darted into the darkness, thinking that he would follow. Duo, not used to anywhere but his tiny, dank cell, was not quick to follow and reached out an arm.

"Wait!" he whispered harshly, fully not prepared when Neo-Queen Serenity stepped into view. He dropped his arm, heart thudding mercilessly in his chest as she froze in front of him.

* * *

Usagi could not believe what she was seeing in front of her. Her heart pounded as she set eyes on a man that she hadn't seen in almost fifteen years. He hadn't aged a day, his skin the same and his hair was so long now that he kept it in a braid. It was those eyes, though, those beautiful indigo eyes that captivated her.

He looked like a Greek statue, body rigid yet postured as if he had been moving and froze. The moonlight streaming through the glass of the palace cast him in a blue light and her lips parted in astonishment.

"How did you get out?" she asked breathily, taking a small step towards him.

He looked confused, his stance righting so he stood as tall as he could. "Why aren't you screaming for help?"

She looked appalled and opened her mouth wide, her intake of breath so large it could only have been in preparation to yell.

Duo quickly clamped a hand over her mouth and whatever had dared to come out of it was immediately muffled. She reached her hands up to tear his off of her but he was still much stronger than she was. He smirked. "I was just joking with ya, babe," he said cheekily, not taking his hand from her mouth as she glared at him with all her might. He nearly chuckled. "Don't be so tense, I'm not going to hurt you."

Her chest heaved as she tried to breathe heavily from her nose.

"I'm going to walk away Serenity," he said softly, "and you're not going to do a thing." He paused. "At least concerning me."

She looked infuriated, arms tightening around his wrists and still trying to pull his hand from her mouth and the back of her head.

"What you are going to do, however, is talk to those _friends_ of yours," he said more seriously, "and run the damn country correctly. Remember," he smirked, "Quiet nights breed quiet stars." After he told, no, commanded her to do so, he placed a small kiss to where her lips were beneath his hand and let her go, walking calmly in the direction he seen Hotaru dart off to.

* * *

Mamoru held his breath as he watched the man who committed treason nearly place a kiss on his wife's lips. His body shook with fury as he stood and prepared himself to knock the kid's lights out when he pulled away. Usagi stayed facing away from him but Duo caught a glimpse of the king as he strode by. He gave the older man a nod and disappeared from sight.

Mamoru was suddenly at a loss for action. His body froze; should he go after Duo and stop him or should he immediately console his obviously disturbed wife?

"Mamo-chan…" he heard his wife mumble like a little girl, waiting for her daddy. He walked swiftly to her and embraced her, holding her tightly in his arms as she snuggled into his chest.

"Usako what were you thinking?" he demanded silently and worriedly. "Why didn't you say anything, you could have yelled for help…"

She shook her head into his chest and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I knew you were there, I knew you'd protect me if anything happened…" she said softly and Mamoru sighed into her hair, rubbing her back softly. She was silent, far quieter than he expected her to be and Mamoru pulled back. He didn't get far, however, for she held him tightly, face still pressed harshly into his chest.

"Mamo-chan I need to ask you a favor," she mumbled, the muffled sound nearly hard to decipher. Her husband looked down at her, confused.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

She sighed again into his chest, finally looking up at him with tired eyes. "I need you to rule the country in my place."

Mamoru pulled back, shocked at his wife's request. "What?" he asked harshly as if the breath had been pushed from his lungs. "Usagi if he said anything to you—"

She reached out to him and pulled him back to her, his arms gripping her shoulders gently. She leaned up on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss to his lips. "No, Mamo-chan, that's not it. It's just that…" she sighed and looked down, her face filled with emotions Mamoru was beginning to understand. "This whole 'return of the Youma' thing really has me shaken up."

Mamoru placed a kiss to her forehead. "I told you, Usako, everything will be okay."

Usagi shook her head. "I know that," she evinced, looking up into his eyes. "But I feel like the time is now."

Mamoru didn't understand.

"Now is the time to reconcile. I _need_ to be with my Senshi for this," she said softly, stroking his cheek softly, "I need to help out my friends, I need to protect my people."

Mamoru looked down to his wife with such an admiration that she took it as sadness. "They desert you and when they finally come back to do their job, you step down from yours to help them out?"

"Mamoru please—" he silenced her with a gentle kiss, keeping his forehead touching hers.

"Don't worry," he sighed, closing his eyes, "I understand. But they do not deserve you as a friend…"

Usagi shook her head against his and smiled gently. "It's quite the opposite my love," she said, giving him another small kiss and he was far beyond astonished by her altruism. "Quite the opposite."

* * *

Heero watched as she tossed in her bed. It started with frequent rolling, small sleepy moans, and tossed sheets. That was ten minutes ago, however, and her body lurched now, heart monitor beeping nearly out of control as she twisted her sheets in sweaty hands. Heero watched from his bed as she bared her teeth in her sleep and gurgled a painful sounding, teeth-clenched groan, and her back arched off of the bed before she turned onto her side.

Ultimately Heero wondered if that's what he had sounded like. He'd awoken from his sleep sweaty, his wounds throbbing in pain and his heart monitor racing. The emotions that coursed through his body, however, were not expected. He felt angry; a deep anger pitted deep within his stomach that made him want to crush the first thing he got his hands on. Such a sensation he was not used to because he had repressed any sort of sensibility for so long. He reined himself in, however, and the cool visage that was his face settled back into place.

He could only imagine what she was dreaming; his own lucid thoughts were teeming with what he'd seen when he was asleep. Heero watched carefully as she rolled over, her face now plainly visible in all of its agony. Her brows were forced downwards in an angry v and her lips snarled as her hands gripped the side of her bed so much so that the muscles in her arms flexed to their highest degree. Her fingernails tore into the sheets and a spot of blood bloomed on her bandages as she stressed the process of primary hemostasis. As it grew, all Heero could do was watch calmly.

The door to quarantine opened and Heero turned his head, expecting the doctors to have returned with their blood samples confirming that nothing was wrong with them. If he had been capable of showing surprise, however, it would have been blatantly obvious on his face when a Sailor Senshi dressed in purple and Duo Maxwell walked through the door. Both of their eyes were focused on Makoto as she tossed and turned, her sweat glistening not only off of her face but of what showed of her collar bone and her arms as well.

Hotaru noticed her harried state and rushed to her side. The dark haired youth took Makoto's shoulders in her hands and gently shook the girl. "Mako-chan, wake up," she said softly, trying to shake the girl awake. Heero, immediately remembering how he woke up, swung his legs over his bed.

He was too late, however, because Makoto's eyes flashed open and the hands that once gripped her bed with ferocity, whipped out and latched onto Hotaru's upper arms. Her face sported a growl and Heero could see the young girl's skin molding beneath her squeezing fingers like clay. Hotaru tried to pull away but Makoto wouldn't let go, almost as if her eyes weren't seeing exactly what she was doing.

"M-Makoto…" Hotaru tried as said girl gripped her arms harder, the bloom of blood on her bandage blossoming into a rose of color.

Heero came up behind Hotaru, his hands gripping Makoto's from either side of her body in a calmly painful grip. "Let go," he said lowly and Hotaru watched as he put more strength into where he gripped Makoto's wrists.

Duo watched the whole spectacle by the door, his arms crossed and an intrigued look on his face. The whole thing was like a movie; something which he hadn't seen in nearly fifteen years, let alone a familiar face. He was interested by the position that they'd found themselves in, a tangled web of gripping arms; Hotaru's arms were still latched onto Makoto's shoulders, the brunette's strong appendages still squeezing the life from the younger girl's upper arms while Heero grabbed her wrists in a vice like grip.

It all was truly amusing.

"Let. Go," Heero tried again sternly as his more powerful arms began to pry her fingers from Hotaru's hurting arms.

Makoto finally began to blink, the snarl fading from her lips as focus came to her eyes. Suddenly she let go of Hotaru's arms completely, the younger girl dropping down between their linked arms like they were playing 'my fair lady', before pushing herself slightly away. Heero kept his arms tightly around her wrists, making sure that she was fully awake before he let go. When she looked around the room tiredly he dropped her wrists.

"What happened…?" she asked, looking at Duo strangely in the corner. Her eyes moved down to Hotaru who suddenly stood and placed her hands on her hips, red blotches staining her upper arms. "Hotaru!" she exclaimed breathily, body still breathing hard and coming down from her dream. "I'm so sorry, I—"

"Did exactly what I expected you to do." All three pairs of eyes looked at her strangely, Heero's less appraising than the other two.

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked, highly confused. "And what is he doing here?" she asked almost incredulously, pointing to Duo in the corner. She couldn't help but feel miffed; they were the ones who'd put him away.

Hotaru waved that issue off. "He has an important part in saving the world," she said, not wanting to dally on the subject, "and so do you," Hotaru said again, holding up a piece of paper. "Which is precisely why I had to come and save your lives."

Heero reached out and took the paper from her, looking over it's contents as Makoto painfully slipped from her bed, taking a moment to be able to stand on her own. "I still don't get it," she said again, looking from the quiet Duo by the door to Heero's nearly emotionless face.

"She means the blood results didn't come back quite like we expected they would," Heero clarified as he showed her the paper. Makoto looked it over still without understanding.

"Well are they going to cure us?"

Hotaru looked at her with a small sense of pity, not used to seeing the once physically strongest Inner Senshi depleted to such a helpless stage. She was obviously tired and the pallid tone to her face gave her a sickly look as she leaned on the bed like a crutch. The sweat had yet to dry from her dream, her body glistening as if she'd just run miles, chest heaving with the same effect, and the blood that sprouted from her bandages was almost sinister. The younger girl shook her head as she took the paper from Heero. "No," she said, looking at both of them. "They were going to kill you."

Makoto's chest stopped heaving, her mouth hanging open in astonishment as Heero's eyes merely squinted. "What?!" Makoto called out, fist clenching in surprise. She let it go quickly when pain started to spark in her arm. She glared at the bandage in annoyance and shook her head. "No," she said, "No, Usagi would never let—"

"They weren't going to _ask_ for Neo-Queen Serenity's permission," Hotaru emphasized, leaning towards Makoto as she spoke. Her former friend's face was still muddied with befuddlement and Hotaru sighed. "This is quarantine, Makoto. They're specialists who have the authority to make such judgment calls," she explained.

Makoto mind and appearance were only able to register two feelings: appalled and angered. "Since when—"

"Then why are you saving us?" Heero cut in monotonously, leveling the girl with a cold stare. "If they found something dangerous enough to deem it necessary for extermination, why are trying to keep us alive?" If he was to become something that would oppose his very job, then there was no use in trying to deny the inevitable or prevent quarantine from doing their job.

Hotaru stared right back, not intimidated by his older stature or his lethal glares. Her look was almost as emotionless as his. "Because you both play integral parts in this process."

"What process?" Makoto asked.

"To save the universe," Hotaru said cryptically and Heero watched as Duo rolled his eyes in the corner, having received the same message before and finding its meaning far less valuable than he had at first. "Plus, they don't know it but there is a cure to your condition."

"Our _condition_?" Makoto asked with a raised eyebrow, looking over to Heero who still had yet to make any sort of emotional feature.

Hotaru looked down to the paper. "Through your blood they discovered that the monster that attacked you was, in fact, a human-Youma hybrid."

Makoto's head was spinning. A hybrid? "Who on Crystal Earth would be sick enough to fuse a human with a Youma?" she asked, knowing Hotaru didn't have the answer.

Hotaru ignored her question and continued. "Its bite basically morphed your DNA, they assumed it was an agent in the saliva. In short, it's kind of like you've been infected."

Duo looked nearly as surprised as Makoto did. "Are you saying that we're standing in a room with two people possibly infected with a hybrid virus?" he asked incredulously, arms finally dropping from their crossed position, pointing to Makoto and Heero.

Hotaru shook her head and Duo relaxed for a moment. "No, not 'possibly'. They _are _infected." Duo put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. He could hear Makoto's heart monitor speeding up in her apprehension. Heero's, however, remained the same.

The brunette girl turned and gave Heero a slap to his uninjured shoulder. "I thought you said that we were fine!" she said seriously, her look morphing from joking to grave. Heero looked down to his shoulder as if an annoying fly had just landed on it and Makoto glared at him.

Hotaru shook her head slowly. "This is serious, Makoto," she said softly, wondering why she was making fun at such a time. The brunette turned to her with a skeptical eye.

"How did you even find all of this out?" she asked.

Duo snorted from the corner, pushing himself from the wall. "She asked the professionals," he said coolly and the three turned to him. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right before she knocked them all out." Hotaru glared at him.

"Which is precisely why I need to relay this information quickly; so we don't get caught when they wake up," she said, angered by the constant interruptions. Her head whipped back around. "Makoto," she said sternly and the brunette turned to her, surprised by the sudden authority and haste in the younger girl's voice. "What's happening to your and Heero's blood is that you're becoming one of them."

At first Makoto wasn't quite sure she comprehended exactly what Hotaru had said. Perhaps she'd heard wrong…had Hotaru said that she was becoming one in ten or she was becoming one of them? Direly hoping it was the former she turned to Heero to gage his expression. Nothing helpful there. She looked over to Duo. Even less helpful. Her head finally turned back to Hotaru who was watching her fidget with a saddened expression. That was all she needed to know. Her stomach felt as if she'd just gone down the biggest hill on a roller coaster. "I'm turning into that _thing?!_" she exclaimed, looking to Heero, the one person who could (or rather couldn't, really) feel what she was feeling, with a devastated look. For a moment he even felt bad for her, remembering how she'd struggled against him in fear when she thought he was the monster. That feeling was obliterated quickly.

"Sort of," Hotaru explained. "What the experts don't know is what I do." Makoto looked confused. "We _can't_ become Youma, Makoto. Technically, in fact, we're not even human. Your blood will nullify and destroy the infection and the changes." Makoto's look brightened.

"Are you saying nothing will happen to me?"

"More or less," Hotaru responded, looking down to her upper arms where purplish, circular bruises were sprouting prominently. "You'll have side effects, attributes more like the hybrid than yourself," she said pointedly and Makoto looked sheepish as her eyes too were drawn to Hotaru's new wounds. "But those will wear off in time. Heero, on the other hand…" Hotaru turned to the quiet man beside her, his look not surprised—in fact, nothing was displayed on his face. "Heero is human, thus the effects will take place."

Makoto's once livening features fell once again and she looked downtrodden. "What?" she asked, as if she was feeling the emotions for Heero since he refused to show one inkling of worry or sadness. Her once rising hope that Heero had been, in fact, correct when he'd said they'd be fine slipping further and further away.

Hotaru was silent, turning to Heero with saddened eyes. "I'm sorry Heero, but you're going to become one of them."

Nobody in the room could tell what the emotionless man was thinking. His face was erased of any perturbation, no movement or feeling, almost statuesque. He blinked once and looked towards Makoto, who looked nearly ready to cry for him. In all honesty Heero had figured as much, the news came as no surprise to him. But he couldn't help but feel severely confused when Makoto reached out and touched his arm gently.

"Heero…" she said softly, "I'm so sorry…" He didn't move, not quite sure how to react to this new development. Why was she sorry? He basically knew it was coming ever since he had woken from his dream; a disturbing nightmare that he didn't wish to replay in his mind. "Isn't there anything we can do?" Makoto asked helplessly, turning to Hotaru in partial hope. Sure she and Heero had never really gotten along…in fact, she kind of abhorred him, but that didn't mean that she wanted him to transform into that terrifying creature that had nearly taken their lives. That she would wish upon nobody.

Hotaru shook her head. "I'm sorry, Makoto, but—"

"Actually," Duo said from the corner, a finger to his chin and a thoughtful expression plastered to his face, "there might be a solution."

Hotaru looked unnerved. "Duo please don't—"

He glared at her. "Were you really going to tell them that he'd have to be a monster?" He turned to Heero. "And stop acting like you don't care."

Heero leveled him with a steady look. "I don't."

"Bullshit," Duo countered. "You killed that little girl and you have a lifetime to repay her. You're going to give all of that up and give in to some stupid infection?" Heero glared at him, Duo finally at ease that he'd incited some sort of emotion from the incorrigible man.

Hotaru looked confused. "I'm sorry, do you guys know each other?" she asked, looking back and forth between the two, unaware of any precedent link they shared. Duo eyes were solely trained on Heero and vice versa. Heero didn't respond, however, and Duo finally rolled his eyes.

"I guess you could say we were acquaintances in P.E.," he said, crossing his arms. "Maybe even less than that." Duo watched carefully as Heero closed his eyes in thought, opening them after a moment with that same, dead stare. "Now if you'll get off of your high horse you can listen to my proposal."

"Duo wait—" Hotaru started but he cut her off.

"You need a host."

The room went silent, no clamor from anyone present, and the sound of the heart monitors became muffled as the room was suffocated with tension. Makoto looked confused and Hotaru looked slightly hurt. The taller girl turned to her old friend for an answer, not sure what the braided man had meant.

"A host?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hotaru swallowed dryly, the blue light of the room suddenly making her very tired. Her eyes fell to the whitewashed floors, the tiles glistening sharply. "Duo…" she mumbled quietly, shaking her head and placing a weary hand to her forehead.

Duo ignored her, his eyes trained only on Heero. "What you need is the blood of someone who is not a human to nullify and destroy the infection within you."

Makoto's jaw nearly fell, finally understanding what he meant by the word 'host'. Still, the prospect was unsettling and quite obtrusive. "Are you saying he needs to ingest someone else's blood?" she asked, swallowing with a dry throat. To try and add some sort of normalcy she added, "Won't that make him sick?"

Hotaru sighed and shook her head. "Not with the battle that's already going on inside of him. Those monsters feed on blood. What it seems like is it was feasting on the girl it killed solely for blood—sustenance. You two were meant to be changed, join their ranks," she explained, turning to Makoto. "What it didn't know was that you were a Sailor Senshi. The change will not happen to you completely."

Makoto stood straight, crossing her arms. "So then how do we get Heero a host?"

Duo and Hotaru made eye contact, indigo lingering on violet before they both turned away, eyes unfocused on any object in the room other than Makoto. She waved her hand in the air when they had yet to respond and they both turned to her. The brunette looked confused, her expression changing as she raised an eyebrow. Makoto glanced at Heero, wondering if he knew what they were getting at. "What?" she asked, wondering why they were all looking at her.

"Makoto…" Hotaru began slowly, trying to be careful with her next words. Duo rolled his eyes at Hotaru as she tiptoed around the issue.

"_You_ need to be his host," he blurted out insensitively and Hotaru turned an angry eye to him. She turned back to Makoto who suddenly had a look on her face reminiscent of Heero's.

"I'm sorry…what?" she deadpanned, thinking she must have heard them incorrectly.

Duo felt exasperated, rolling his eyes at her feigned misunderstanding. "You, Makoto. You need to be his host." She opened her mouth to ask a question but he cut her off. "Why you, you might ask? Because you already have the infection within you. If someone like Hotaru became his host then ingesting her pure blood could thoroughly destroy Heero and kill him." Duo deadpanned, finally looking a little apprehensive. "The process needs to be gradual. As your blood cleans itself, it will clean Heero's too."

Hotaru turned to both of them, the two harboring looks she couldn't quite read. She became worried for a moment and held up her hands. "See, this is why I didn't even want to propose it, the idea is absolutely ludicrous—"

"Okay."

"No."

Hotaru raised her eyebrows. Oh boy.

Makoto turned to Heero with a glare. "Why not, Heero? This isn't just something we can pass by," she said turning to face him, her arms beside her. "With these things, the littlest mistake can destroy an entire outcome. I would know," she said turning to Hotaru, thinking of their trip to the future. The younger girl looked down towards her purple booted toes, partially embarrassed, not quite sure why. "If I'm willing, which I am, you _need_ to do it!"

"No," Heero said with such finality that Makoto reeled back, the harshness he exuded unwarranted. "I'm not going to drink your blood. Think of how that could incapacitate you," he explained, not budging on the issue. He'd noticed that he hadn't had a craving for blood but the thought of drinking it didn't quite repulse him as much as he thought it would. It looked like their little joke before had been for naught.

"You shroud your depravity in principle, Heero," Duo sneered, taking a few steps towards them. "If she is willing, and we're telling you that we need you to do this, then there should be no doubt in your mind," he explained as Heero shook his head.

"Don't misconstrue my morals, Duo. I have rules and I abide by them," was all he would say.

Duo snorted. "And what would those rules be? 'Oh yes, I'm not going to drink the blood of a woman to save myself and the universe'. That's a joke." Heero didn't respond to that, he merely shook his head.

"And if I kill her?" he asked monotonously.

Makoto turned towards him. "_That's_ what you're worried about?" she asked with a laugh. "No offense Heero, but you couldn't kill me if you tried."

He looked at her as if she were almost pathetic. She may have been a Sailor Senshi but no one was indestructible. She shouldn't have relied on that back up plan so much. When he was about to articulate this peculiar fact, Hotaru beat him to it.

"Actually Makoto…" she said as she bit her lip, "He actually has a point. He could kill you." If Heero had succumbed too much to the infection, then he could potentially overpower her and use her as a snack rather than a host.

Makoto looked slightly worried, suddenly aware of the precociousness of her small friend and the vulnerability she would be submitting to. If he used her as his host, every time he would (she swallowed harshly, trying to keep from regurgitating) drink her blood she could be a hairsbreadth away from peril and her life would be in immediate jeopardy. She looked at Heero out of the corner of her eye and was steadfast on refusing that he would give in so easily. "That's okay," she said a little more hesitantly. "I trust him enough."

Heero shook his head, not registering exactly what his role was in 'saving the universe' and precisely why Duo and this Sailor Senshi were so adamant on saving his life. As well he wondered what the infection was doing to warp Makoto's brain into thinking it was plausible for him to actually drink her blood—almost like a vampire. "You can't trust anyone, Kino," he said sternly. "Not even me." He watched out of the corner of his eye as she looked down and bit her lip. "I don't trust you and I'll never trust you."

Her once timid expression blew away and Makoto rolled her eyes. "I guess that's what sets us apart then, isn't it?" she said, turning to face him with her arms crossed. "So how do we do this? Intravenously?" she said as if there were no other option, blatantly demonstrating to Heero that they were going through with it whether he liked it or not.

Hotaru bit her lip. "Uh, no…" Makoto raised an eyebrow, not sure what she meant. "Your blood can't be exposed to anything synthetic, manufactured, or even oxygen for that long."

Makoto pursed her lips. "Why not?"

"Because the properties in your blood that would end up healing both yourself and Heero would then attach to the other particles and not enough will be left to enter Heero's—"

"Wait a minute, are you saying he's going to have to drink it directly from my body?!" she nearly screamed, rapidly beginning to rethink the entire ordeal. Her shocked face morphed into distinct confusion as Hotaru started to back away, her boots clacking on the floor as she slunk towards Duo and ultimately the door. "Hey wait a minute, what are you doing?" Makoto asked frantically, suddenly becoming very alarmed. "Where are you going?"

"Don't worry!" Hotaru said from the door as Duo stepped through. "That's why we're doing the first run through here. If it gets out of hand we'll have a place to contain him and we can be indirectly involved," Hotaru announced before she shut the door, closing off Makoto's parting exclamation.

Makoto sighed and became grim, the boxed off, caged feeling she had before returning as she turned slowly from the door to face Heero. "Hotaru is in direct correlation with Setsuna, she has been since I was in the palace," she explained. "Setsuna is the Senshi of Time and Space, thus when she says that something will save the universe I tend to believe her," she explained as she reached up and began to undo the bandages around her shoulder. "And if you've been lucky enough to be let in on matters," she explained further, though more distracted as she pulled off and unwound the white gauze, "then you should believe her too." She sighed in frustration when she couldn't undo the entire bandage.

Heero walked up to her and replaced her hands with his, His movements were like a doctors; precise and emotionless as he stripped her shoulder of it's protection. All that faced him now was an open wound; kind of ironic how he was going to use the portal that could have killed her to save himself. He touched the skin around it she winced. Heero watched as she gave him a wary smile. "It's fine," she admitted.

She seemed too bared to him, too revealed with her bandage gone. Heero felt the twisting return to his stomach, the furious anger rising in his chest that he'd felt when he'd awoken from his dream; he'd just taken one more step closer to making that nightmare a reality. Suddenly it was as if he could feel the blood pumping through her veins, the pulse evident beneath his finger tips and the joke she'd sported earlier suddenly didn't quite feel like a joke anymore. Sure, he couldn't necessarily smell her blood but he found his lips inching closer and closer to her neck of their own accord.

Makoto saw him begin to lean in towards her neck and something flashed across his eyes. Not necessarily a look, not a hunger, but a physical difference. There was a bright pulse of red seconds before his mouth came in contact with the apex of her neck and shoulder. She squeezed her eyes closed tight, immediately thinking that she'd just signed her death warrant and Heero was about to suck her dry.

Expecting almost excruciating pain she clenched her teeth and bared her fists, ready for the consequences. His lips came in contact with her tender flesh and she prepared for the worst. What she hadn't expected, however, was for the contact to be soft. Her eyes opened slowly, hesitantly, and Makoto blinked slowly. It was almost like he was kissing her neck…that is, until she felt his first real suck.

The process was painful, especially for the wound being so fresh and Makoto couldn't help her sharp intake of breath as she felt her blood exit her body. Heero pulled his lips away, mouth hovering over the wound as his eyes watched her carefully.

"You're fine," she said breathily, closing her eyes tightly again, not really sure how she felt anymore about the whole process. "It's fine," she reiterated and Heero paused for a moment, gauging how he felt. Lucky for him—and for her—her blood was absolutely disgusting. He was nearly repulsed by putting his lips back to her skin and taking another mouthful. His body acted on its own, however, and his lips became attached to the wound to seek success.

Partially unaware he was doing so, Heero gripped the back of her head with his left hand, tilting it slightly away from the wound for easier access. When Makoto felt pain at a certain draw from his mouth, she reached up and gripped his arm tightly, eyes still refusing to open and witness the slightly degrading performance.

When she felt his tongue graze the wound her mind blended with a mixture of extreme emotions. One was a severe fright, having remembered the exact same feeling when the wound was created in the first place by the hybrid. The second was something far too sensual for her own liking. The feeling of his lips pressed to her neck was like one lover nuzzling another. The real connotation of the situation, however turned that picture into something unerringly morbid. It was no wonder all they did was have sex in vampire movies, if this was the feeling that surged through their bodies.

She finally started getting used to the feeling, not every pull stinging as much as it had at first. Thus she relaxed against him, the only signifiers that something was painful were if her eyes squinted or her breathing increased.

Heero was only slightly aware of what he was doing. The taste seemed gone and the action seemed easy, her blood coming into his mouth smoothly. When he'd hear her gasp in pain or feel her body clench he would ease his pressure and find a different approach.

It was definitely unnerving, how he could see himself as a human in one instance and be perceived as on the brink of a monster in the next.

He felt depraved. He felt like the lowest of the low. He felt disgusting and was sure that the entire spectacle was the very definition of macabre.

But most of all, he felt…better. He felt…

Satisfied.

* * *

Okay, so I didn't get to Wufei confronting Duo or Rei confronting Usagi but I still feel like this chapter was pretty jam-packed. If you're confused, Trowa and Wufei do not remember P.E. very well, but Quatre, Heero, and especially Duo do. So BIG revelations in this chapter! I bet none of you suspected most of it. It's kind of like a mixture between the magical world and the real world—you have the prospect of danger through actual history, and the more domineering prospect of danger through a blood-cultivating-human-Youma-hybrid. Only part of the history is true; I believe that France did actually take missions to Japan to help build their Japanese Imperial Navy. The whole part about the secret and the Coup D'état is made up by me.

Quatre's part in this whole fiasco is more prominent next time. Pretty much this is what the whole next chapter is comprised of (I figure if it's going to take me forever to get it out I might as well give you a sneak peak); being a part of the upper echelons of society, Quatre has a formal gathering to attend. But who is he to take, and who is also attending the gathering? I'll give you a hint; 1. The girl has long dark hair. 2. He owns a hotel… As well the doctors in quarantine wake and they're not very happy. Plus, Ami finally bandages Trowa's head wound and figures out _how_ exactly it got there in the first place. Minako and Wufei face the aftermath of a brief emotional breakdown…and FINALLY (maybe) Usagi and Rei will meet face to face.

Does it have you excited enough?

**TristaDin:** Yes, Duo is officially freed! He and Heero did confront each other but not to the extreme that it should have been. Little spats here and there ("You shroud your depravity in principle"/"Don't misconstrue my morals. I have rules and I abide by them") but not quite to the extent to where I want it to be. Honestly, I'm not really sure how I want them to interact…The G-boys will interact more later on in the story (I know, I know, how _long_ is this story going to be??) but I can say that their interactions probably wont be as in depth as the Senshi's :\ It will be fun having them remember things, though :) As you saw, the girls don't really know that they know each other…_that_ will be fun too! Thanks for your review!

**JPandS:** A new reviewer! I can't tell you how excited I am to hear from someone new. Thank you for your compliments, I try to make the story as interesting I can. Hopefully this chapter was chalk full of interesting information and developments. This story is going to be pretty long so I think you have plenty of time for reading…this chapter was a full 10,000 + words in itself. Thank you again for reviewing!

**nequam-tenshi:** Thanks! I hope I gave you enough girl fight action in this chapter. More doses coming in the next ;) All of the Senshi still haven't reunited all together after the new developments so when that happens it'll be like a bang of attitude.

**Fatal Mars:** Another new person! And oh wow, that's a big compliment—I find CSI pretty awesome. If you find my story 10 times better then I guess I'm doing something right, eh? Minako's going through a rough patch right now, she's in a harrowing position and she's stuck between duty and doing what she really wants to do. Perhaps that's why her character isn't as appealing right now as she usually is. Hopefully you could see a little more of why she's acting the way she is in this chapter. Plus she kind of got ganged up on…hehe I guess that's my fault. Poor Minako! Have no fear, she'll pull through. If you don't mind me asking, what didn't you like about her? I love to get constructive criticism and I'm so excited that someone's finally said something bad about my characterization. After all, I just want to make it better! Thank you for your helpful feedback :)

**oombala: **It's so cool that new people are reviewing! Wow. I've never felt so dearly appreciated…thank you so much for your kind words! I know what you mean about moving on if it's something you don't like and being a finicky reader—I can completely relate with you on that topic. I'm glad my story could draw you in and around that choosiness despite the fact that you don't like the pairings. I can't say I'm a fan of traditional pairings (not that I'm saying that's what you like) but I feel the need to mix things up. I can't tell you how sick of the whole U/H A/Q R/W M/T M/D I am. Honestly I've never really liked Wufei as a character but I've found that, in writing this story, I'm starting to really like him. I guess you just have to look further than some of the bull crap out there that massacres his character. Hopefully the pairings aren't deterring you from the story, I'm glad you kept reading beyond that!

One of the important things for me IS making things very logical. I get so annoyed when people just kind of throw things out there like bam! Usagi can function a mobile suit because she's actually stoic and calculating! As I've stated in my profile, I _never_ focus my story around one character. I may have a certain leaning towards Makoto but I will not focus my story around her. I'm not really sure why. I guess it's because I love reading stories about all of the Senshi and their interactions together because I really like all of them. Ones focusing only on one person, to me, tend to be _too_ centered. I guess that's just me though. If you can't tell, I'm quite strange. Thank you _so _much for your feedback, it means a lot.

**TopazDragon:** Have no worries, girl. I am procrastinating _severely_ when I update my stories. Needless to say I've been writing this chapter instead of a rough draft for a paper (which is actually about Sailor Moon—kind of freakin' awesome, I think). I can wait patiently because I completely understand, I still like reading your works.

If last chapter was a surprise then I'm sure this one was a little bit of a… "whoa" or maybe even perhaps a "wtf?" Hotaru is really difficult to write. I never know if I want to make her the young Senshi that she was and kind of place her at the age of the Senshi when we all first met them (because that's about the age she would be around now) or make her that sort of grown up, all-knowing Senshi that we all know is inside of her. I think she and Duo are very connected, I want to emphasize more on that later on in the story but it's just so hard to write the new Duo and choose which Hotaru to portray. I think that's why they both may seem a little different in this chapter. I'm not quite decided yet. Duo's peppiness isn't there like usual but it'll come back soon—he's just a little bitter from being locked up for about fifteen years.

Thank you for complimenting my Hotaru though. I rarely write about her—even less than Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna, so I haven't quite mastered her personality yet. But yes, I suppose my indecision does play into the whole mask concept. Things will be very…different.

Yeah, I'm really starting to like writing Minako and Rei interacting. I think they both have enough stubbornness and sense that it levels out. I hope you liked their full-out interaction in this chapter. Poor little Minako got a little ganged up on…when she was pretty much doing the right thing. I have to say…my favorite part in this entire chapter is probably the scene between Minako and Wufei. I don't know…it was just so real and it was exactly the way I wanted their first kiss to be. No way in hell could I imagine them coming together (at first) in a tender moment. It had to be rough, it had to be emotional and tousled, almost painful—there was just no other way to do it. And I have to admit, I really liked the way it came out, I hope you liked it too. You're kind of my Minako expert, haha.

Ami's sharp tongue is, in short, awesome. She's pretty cool because you just can't refute what she says—because she's right. Next chapter will be fun, she and Trowa will finally get a little normal interaction by themselves. Trowa is starting to become easier to write (thank goodness) and who knew a self-proclaimed homeless man would know so much? He's just too fabulous ;)

Heero and Makoto together are…I'm not really sure how to describe it. I think they're opposites and yet so similar. They both have a little bit of a temper on them but Makoto is rash while Heero is Mr. Cool and Collected. She tends to throw herself into things while he likes to hold back, observe, and weigh the pros and cons. This is why I tried to show him hesitating to save himself; he has to understand the situation, see what's good/bad about it, and find a pragmatic solution. Unfortunately they were a little rushed for time so he had to make a snappy decision (with the help of Makoto's hardheadedness). Haha, you were partially right. Heero needs the agents in her blood that make her magical and able to fend off the infection naturally to attack the hybrid infection that's threatening to change him—I guess you could say he's kind of like a vampire, only without the fangs, the whole day/night thing, silver bullets, pale skin, blah blah blah.

I hope there was enough drama for you this time around :) Thanks!


	9. Quiet Nights Breed Quiet Stars

**Toxic**

**Chapter Eight: Quiet Nights Breed Quiet Stars**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing.

* * *

It had happened again. All Rei could do was lie in her bed, worry marks wrinkling at the vertex of her eyebrows as she frowned and grasped the sheets at her side. They'd been up late into the hours of the morning; Minako and Wufei did not return to the room and the Queen never made an appearance. Sally Po appeared after a few more minutes of waiting and had explained that the Queen had called for a later meeting of midday. Needless to say Rei's mounting displeasure with the haphazard structure of her return was beginning to bubble at the top of the glass. She and Ami had parted ways, that strange Trowa character following her into the medical wing of the palace.

But these worries were not what consumed Rei's mind at the moment. In her mind it was something far more bothersome, something that evoked a frustrating emotion within her. The first one hadn't happened long ago and she remembered the exact same welling unease within her chest. It had been the morning before she'd had her talk with Quatre…that morning she'd had a dream. What caused her to cross her arms over her eyes and groan with aggravation, however, was the fact that she was not able, no matter how hard she tried, to recollect one iota of information from that dream. Not a picture, not a word, nothing. The only thing she _could_ remember was a drastic, heavy sensation of pure disquiet churning in the pit of her stomach.

That feeling had returned.

She knew that she'd dreamt again, that awareness was a function imbedded deep within her consciousness. _What_ she'd dreamt, however, eluded her once again and left her with a residual, sickly feeling within her body. Rei emitted a tiny groan and placed a hand to her stomach, not quite able to determine how she felt about the physical ramifications of her otherwise subconscious endeavor. Her ability, her foresight and senses were trying to tell her something, trying to evince some sort of vital information. Since there was a glitch somewhere within her causing the data not to pervade throughout the entirety of her usable brain, her body was adhering to the brain's request and shifting the info from mental to physical sensitivity.

She tossed an eye to the clock by her bed and watched as the digital numbers taunted '9:34' right back at her. Rei turned her eyes back to the ceiling and ran a hand down her tired face. She'd gone to bed approximately three and a half hours ago and felt no immediate urge to fall back asleep. Her mind was working precariously around the edges of the information she could not detect, trying with all her might to divulge what exactly she'd seen while she'd slept. She felt weary but she didn't feel sleepy.

Rei sat up and looked out of the sliver between her curtains that revealed a sparkling Crystal Tokyo. The single beam of light cut across her face, splitting her features disproportionately. She looked down with blank eyes as the line of light sliced down her torso and bed. She kept her head bent, facing her body and bed but lifted her eyes to watch the scope of Crystal Tokyo's blatant unawareness. She suddenly felt annoyed by the people of the city being totally unaware of the governmental storm brewing within its capitol's palace. She felt annoyed and yet she admired them, admired their blindness and their carefree atmosphere towards the fact that the foundation of Crystal Tokyo, and even perhaps that of Crystal Earth was about to be rocked to its molten core.

Throwing the covers from her body Rei slid her legs around and got out of bed.

* * *

Minako almost felt hung over. Her head pounded when she awoke, a dull beat that persisted for several minutes. She waited for it to die down but when it refused to do so she acknowledged the fact that such heavy crying and stress had given her a stuffy headache. Her eyes felt swollen as she squinted into the day's sun from her bed. She felt like a night owl, going to bed so late—or early rather—and waking up so gosh darn late.

Turning to see what the damage was this morning she was startled with slight surprise as the clock read just a few minutes past ten in the morning.

So much for sleep.

She smacked a hand over her eyes and groaned before her heart gave a mild jump. A smell had wended its way into the lines of her palm and stained her skin with its memories. She held her hand above her face watching as her fingers fought to stay steady and wondered just what had happened. Hesitantly she brought her hand to her nose and inhaled, pulling sharply away before leaning up and slowly inhaling deeper. It wasn't a putrid stench, in fact it was quite the opposite. It was sweet with a feeble musk, like jasmine incense. Her hand smelled distinctly of…Wufei; it smelled of his hands, of his chest, of his neck and his hair. Minako swallowed, the dry sensation unsettling. She'd nearly forgotten about what had happened last night.

She'd kissed Wufei. She'd _kissed_ Wufei. She'd kissed _Wufei_.

Minako smacked her hand against her forehead harshly, closing her eyes and groaning as she rolled over. Memories came flooding back to her of their split second downfall. She remembered her hands tight around the collar of his shirt pulling him as close to her body as she could muster as his hands ran hotly through her hair. His hands had been cupping her face—harshly at first before his grip loosened. She could remember bending to his dominating stature as his lips worked furiously against her own. Her breathing had been ragged as they pressed their bodies close, the rapid connection of their eager lips the only course of action running through Minako's blank mind.

Wufei had pulled away first, hands sliding from seizing her face to grasping her shoulders. Their noses still barely touched, Minako looking down, unable to bring her eyes to his. This wasn't going to work and she knew it, it had been an emotionally encouraged slip…one that had revealed more to Wufei than it had to herself. But no matter what feelings fluttered in her chest she knew that whatever had happened between them would be nothing but a dream by the next day.

"Minako…" he'd started, taking a small step back, hands gripping her shoulders as she'd sighed. She'd known what was going to happen even before she'd kissed him. It was not necessarily an action that was emotionally void (in fact it had been quite the opposite) but within the confines of their already established relationship they would have to be careful. In essence, giving in to their desires was not a part of their duty.

Somebody cleared their throat and the two jumped miles apart. Minako grabbed her shoulder shyly and glanced towards the door where Sally Po stood, sticking her body out just far enough to relay her information. When they'd been told that the meeting was rescheduled they nodded, followed Sally Po into the building, and went their separate ways.

Minako gave a tiny whimper after remembering the scene like a movie playing in her head. If anybody, _anybody_ knew what happened they would be done for. She and Wufei would most likely be out of a job and be subjected to years worth of scrutiny.

And then she remembered exactly why she'd been in such a horrible emotional state and the spat she'd had with Ami and Rei.

Minako suddenly had no desire to get out of bed and face reality.

* * *

Ami inspected his forehead carefully, removing the bandages she'd placed there the night before. She pushed his hair back gently and leaned in to see if the wound had become infected. The cut was scabbing over, primary hemostasis working its wonders to protect Trowa's skin and she pressed around the outside of it, a tender, pink ring rimming the once bloody mess.

Ami must have been too absorbed in her inspection of his wound to notice how invasive she was of his personal space. She felt her nose brush against something and looked down, only then noticing that her own blue eyes were very close to his green ones, her view near enough to notice tiny flecks of hazel that dotted his irises. A split second later she noticed that what her nose had been brushing up against was, in fact, _his_ nose.

"Oh!" she cried softly, pulling back quickly with a sharp intake of breath. "I'm so sorry, I was just too intent on checking your injury and I…I'm sorry I was in your personal space and—" She tried to explain and apologize further but Trowa grabbed her hand.

"It's fine," he said sternly, manipulating her hand so that her pointer finger was aimed in the direction of his wound. "All I need is for you to heal this."

She swallowed dryly and nodded, a blush destroying any sense of calm she tried to exude. She couldn't help the fierce patter of her heart that thumped at her chest but she was able, through professional ability, to keep her hands steady. The night before, she'd cleaned and dressed his wounds properly, albeit quickly, and said goodnight, knowing that if anybody needed sleep it was her. However, Ami had never been one to be able to sleep late, an infernal internal clock waking her every morning at 7:30.

She began re-bandaging his forehead after she'd diagnosed no infection, the white gauze slowly protecting the slice. Ami sighed, her hands slowly working the whiteness around his head. Her head pounded with the need to sleep and yet, for some reason, her body wouldn't allow it.

"You look tired. Perhaps you should sleep more."

Ami's fingers stopped, one hand pressing gently to keep the gauze in place while the other grasped at the roll. She pursed her lips slightly, squinting down towards the ground. "I can't," she responded, finally continuing with her ministrations. "We have a meeting today."

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "You _did_ pass out last night."

If Ami hadn't been so out of her wits his slightly harsh statement would have seemed vaguely suggestive.

With a frown she finished winding the gauze around his forehead. "Because you shoved me into a wall," she mumbled humorlessly, reaching for the tape and placing a small piece where the bandage ended. It took her awhile to realize what she'd said before Ami pulled back with a tiny gasp. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked, placing a hand to her heart. "It's just that when I get tired I tend to—"

"Say what you really mean?"

"No," she responded quickly with a frown, turning her back to him to place her materials in her bag. She could feel his eyes on her back unnervingly and felt slightly captive to his almost emotionless gaze. "I tend to be blunt." Turning back around she held up a tiny, squished piece of metal and leaned back casually against the table. "Care to tell me how you managed to acquire that lovely cut there?" she asked, changing the subject.

Trowa knew what she was doing and humored her. "Not really."

Ami squinted in his direction, not really in the mood for games or folly. "I'm sure you can try—since I did save your life and all."

Trowa leveled her with that same, heavy stare. "I didn't want your help," was his simple reply.

Ami felt a small bout of anger rising in her chest and took two deep breaths. "Whether or not you wanted it, you needed it and you got it so I expect a decent amount of courtesy and respect on your part. Now I would be grateful if you could please describe to me the context of the situation in which you found yourself _shot_ at," was her long winded reply.

Trowa shrugged his shoulders. "I got caught."

Ami raised an eyebrow. She made a general circular hand movement for him to continue and explain further. "You got caught doing what?"

Trowa sighed and Ami, for the first time, witnessed some semblance of fatigue flash across his features for a moment. It was kind of warming to know that he felt comfortable enough, or tired enough, to let the stone-like façade fall away and reveal a more personable veneer. "Setsuna asked me and…" he paused as if having said too much, running a hand down his face and rubbing his eyes.

Ami squinted. _You and who?_

"I told you I'm a part of a fighting ring, right?" At Ami's nod he continued. "The location of the brawl is texted only hours before and once you arrive the fighters are chosen at random." Trowa yawned suddenly and ran a hand through his hair. Ami was blessed with a split second of his second green eye before his bangs fell back into place. "Two of the men in the ring are a part of the _Coup D'état_—Pierre Henry and Marcel Lefevre. She asked me to follow them to see if I could find where Francois Elan rallied."

Ami's heart thudded in her chest and she swallowed dryly. "So you knew about the _Coup D'état_ before we brought it up in the mortuary?" she asked, almost hurt by the fact that he'd kept this vital information out of their brainstorm the night before.

"I knew about the _Coup D'état_, sure, but its actual relevance was beyond me." He looked up slowly and made eye contact with her, his harsh green watching her blue irises carefully. "Needless to say it didn't go over so well."

Ami, unnerved by his intense stare, cleared her throat and turned away, pushing herself from the table. "Did you get anywhere?" she asked quietly, placing the small bullet into her medical bag.

"Only so far as the Waisuke district on the east side."

Ami was quiet for a moment and Trowa watched her carefully. He could see how tired she was not only by the bags sitting prominently beneath her eyes or the pink twinge that surrounded them from the constant rubbing, but also the sheer lack of energy in her posture and her almost slumped shoulders.

He didn't mean to sound worried but…"You should really go back to bed."

Ami clicked her tongue and looked out the window, not wanting to make eye contact. "My body won't allow me to do that, Trowa."

He shook his head slowly. "Frankly you won't be of any help if you're stalking around like a zombie."

Ami's eyes swiveled quickly back to his face. "I do not stalk," she said in rebuttal, lifting her fingers gently to her face with a concerned look before muttering, "and I do not look like a zombie."

Trowa smirked and stood, crossing his arms across his blue sweater and shrugging his shoulders. Ami couldn't help but stare at his arms for a moment. They definitely exemplified a fighter's arms and she couldn't help but wonder about the vast musculature and the sinewy fibers that amassed to produce such a finely toned specimen.

She was brought out of her revere with a blush by Trowa's voice. "No, you don't stalk. You shuffle." Ami opened her mouth to refute that statement once more but Trowa cut her off, continuing. "And you don't look like a zombie…" he stood and stepped towards her until his crossed arms almost brushed her body. The sheer vicinity of his body was enough to perpetuate the blush on Ami's face, the rouge stain spreading to her neck. "You look overworked," he finished. Ami swallowed harshly and Trowa closed his eyes softly. "Let's go to your room, I think I have an idea."

It took Ami's brain a moment to register exactly what he'd said but when it was finally roused from it's momentary lapse into la-la land, it came out comprehending only the perverse connotation of his suggestion. "E-excuse me?" she asked, not able to hide her flustered appearance anymore.

Trowa raised an eyebrow as he watched her stumble for words. Obviously she'd taken what he'd said the wrong way. "Don't worry," he said curtly yet reassuringly, "I don't mean sex."

Ami felt like she wanted to either curl up in a dark corner or throw up. The situation had morphed into something far beyond awkward as she couldn't help her mind from imagining slightly naughty things beyond her control. She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head vigorously. "O-oh, no, of course not! I hadn't meant…" she pursed her lips, "I didn't think you meant—I mean I wouldn't want to have," she held up her hands quickly and waved them, "I mean, not that I don't find you—!" eventually Ami gave up and covered her face with her hands, feeling like she was sixteen again.

She mumbled something incoherent into her palms and Trowa smirked, grabbing her elbow. "Come on," he said, leading her out of the medical wing by her elbow, her hands still covering her face tightly as she shuffled behind him.

* * *

Ami sighed gently. "I don't understand how this is supposed to work."

Trowa sat in a plump chair pulled up to the edge of her bed. One leg was folded onto the seat of the chair while he pulled the other to his chest and let his arm rest flaccidly on his knee. His eyes stared calmly out of the window beside her bed as he spoke to her. "You don't necessarily need to understand," he explained, turning to face her. The sunlight from the city played small shapes across his face and illuminated his eyes.

Ami groaned and shoved her face into a pillow. "This is not going to work," she mumbled, the sound muffled by her pillows.

Trowa shrugged and turned back to the window. "If you think that way then it won't."

Ami lifted her head, knowing that her frazzled hair stuck up at odds and ends, and glared at him. With a harrumph she settled back into her bed. "Fine, oh guru. Work your magic and put me to sleep, please." She waved her hands around in an attempt to portray magic before finally resting her head onto her pillow.

"Are you done making fun of me?" he asked, no expression easing onto his face and his eyes remained plastered to the city beyond the window.

Ami blushed in embarrassment and tried to snuggle deep into her plush bedding to hide herself. She couldn't really help it. When she was exhausted she tended to be very blunt and slightly sarcastic. "Done," she squeaked, trying to ignore the heat on her cheeks and slow the quick thrum of her blood rushing through her veins.

Trowa turned slowly to face her, his green eyes sharp in the penetrating fragments of light. It seemed as if the only brightness that seeped through her curtains enveloped him in wisps of luminosity, highlighting his every feature and portraying a near flawlessness within him. The only thing that seemed starkly out of place was the stoic white bandage that encircled his forehead.

"Do you smell the tea?" was all he asked.

Ami looked at the steaming cup of lavender tea sitting on her small bedside table. Curls of steam rose and faded, squirming like tentacles from the still liquid beneath it. She inhaled softly, the warm fragrance of lavender invading her nostrils and filling her nasal passage with a welcomed sweetness. She nodded. "But don't drink it."

Trowa shook his head. "Don't drink it." He pushed the cup closer to her, watching carefully as the tea toppled precariously before seesawing back to safety. "Just smell it."

Ami nodded, looking to him for instruction. "Now what?" she asked, as if it were a procedure.

"Close your eyes," came his simple command. Ami did so and was immediately hit with the inability to open them. Her body relaxed into her bed, the sunlight filtering in from her windows making the room warm but the small breeze that flitted through her hair kept it from becoming hot.

Her body felt heavy but the pounding in her head began to cease as she felt herself beginning to become drowsy. She really didn't want to admit it but Ami was almost sure that it was the sound of his voice and the fact that he was watching over her that made her body relax so fast. Sure the tea had soothed her but the low and calming pitch of his voice was less cold than usual and carried a softer note to it.

"You're very good at this," she mumbled sleepily, finally letting the sand man come over her and shut her tired brain off.

She heard him chuckle softly and Ami couldn't help but peek an eye open. He sat in the same position, the sunlight still giving him an unearthly glow as a small smile picked at his lips. Instead of becoming uncomfortable or shy she smiled back sleepily and closed her eyes firmly.

"Thank you, Trowa," she said softly before finally drifting off into a much needed slumber. She couldn't remember if it was a dream or reality but she could have sworn that she heard him respond in kind as the world and its cumbersome worries faded away.

"You're welcome, Ami."

* * *

Later in the day…

"Unbelievable…" Makoto growled to herself, fixing the sunglasses that rested fashionably on her nose. After they'd quietly left the palace, Hotaru took them into the heart of the city. Using what money she had, the younger girl bought them all clothes and was currently treating them to lemonade at an outside café.

Why Makoto was so frustrated, however, was not because of the heat or the expensiveness of the café, as she heard all of the other patrons tut-tut about disapprovingly. It was the fact that, despite her quick healing abilities, her lower back and shoulder still throbbed in pain and she was forced to wear sunglasses because of a slight ocular quandary due to the side effects of the beginning mutations. It was the fact that her neck sported a white bandage doused in an ointment to prevent scabbing, quarantine from the palace wanted to kill them—thus making her new home not so homely—they were lounging around drinking lemonade while monsters hid in the crevices of their precious city, she hadn't slept since Hotaru woke her in quarantine, and she was basically on the run with a rag-tag group of people.

"Unbelievable," she muttered again sourly, shaking her head slightly with a frown.

Duo turned to her with an annoyed glance before looking to Heero. "Does she always complain this much?" he asked as Makoto sent a glare his way.

"More," was all Heero said as he took a small sip of his lemonade.

"I resent that!" Makoto pouted, turning to face the other agent. He too wore a pair of sunglasses due to their small issue. They'd been walking down the street when Makoto had noticed her reflection in a window. Something seemed slightly…off, so she stopped and peered harder into the glass. Hotaru had asked what was wrong when she'd gasped and scurried over to them, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Mako-chan…what are you doing?" Hotaru asked carefully.

Makoto looked around suspiciously, making sure nobody was staring in their direction before lifting her visor-like hand and revealing her eyes to the younger girl. Hotaru placed a surprised hand to her mouth as Duo raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said nothing was going to happen to me!" she whispered harshly, shielding her eyes as someone walked past them.

"If I remember correctly," Hotaru started, "I believe I said that you would get some side effects but that they would wear off in time." She carefully looked around before leaning in and whispering, "You were only bit _hours_ ago, Makoto, and the effects have yet to even take place."

Makoto had swallowed harshly and looked up to Heero, noticing that his eyes held the same affect hers had embraced. Both of them were exhibiting bright red irises, a piercing color that reminded her far too much of the monster that'd infected them.

And so now they sat carefully at the café, waiting for Hotaru to return with the pie that she'd been craving. Soon the cheerful, young girl came and sat down at the table, her smile teeming with elatedness as she licked her lips.

Makoto shook her head in envy. "You are far, _far_ too chipper."

"Don't rain on my parade, Makoto," Hotaru responded quickly and distractedly, not tearing her eyes from the glistening, warm pie in front of her. She dug her fork in slowly and popped a piece into her mouth, closing her eyes and almost groaning at the delicious, sweet taste.

Makoto harrumphed, obviously in a bad mood as she leaned back in her chair. The good ole youngin' got to eat her pie happily while the rest of them had to sit in some form of disguise or another. Sure, she and Heero were only graced with sunglasses. But Duo, on the other hand, in order not to be noticed from his once revolutionary glory, was wearing sunglasses, a baseball cap and casually blowing bubble gum. He'd kept the long braid, opting not to cut it claiming that short hair would make him more recognizable since it'd been cropped long ago, but Makoto had a distinct feeling that he'd grown some manly love for that braid.

They sat in silence for a moment while Hotaru ate her pie happily and Makoto sulked moodily.

"What is our next plan of action?" Duo asked, linking his hands behind his head and leaning back casually, blowing a bubble with his bubble gum.

Hotaru shrugged her shoulders. "We contact the queen."

Heero looked to the young girl and Makoto stared at her in confusion. "I'm sorry, we do what now?" she asked, raising a confused eyebrow. "Is it not that entire fastidious establishment that we're trying to escape?"

"Fastidious, nice word," Duo commented absent mindedly as he smirked at a cute girl who walked by. She giggled behind her hand as her friends threw him appraising looks.

Makoto rolled her eyes as Hotaru answered, still enthralled by her pie. "No, it's only quarantine that we're trying to stay away from, you know that Usagi wouldn't have let them kill you in a million years had she known, Mako-chan."

Makoto suddenly felt a strange pang course through her body at Hotaru's words. She looked down to her fiddling hands and wondered exactly what it would feel like when she was reunited with the other Senshi…if it would ever happen. She was glad that she was wearing sunglasses because a flitter of emotion passed over her eyes that she would have rather kept hidden from any outside sources. It wasn't a guilty feeling, it wasn't sad, it was merely uncertain.

Heero watched her become silent out of the corner of his eye, keeping his arms crossed firmly across his chest. He turned to Hotaru. "How do we contact the queen if we're not able to get back in the palace?" he asked lowly, trying not to draw any outside attention to their gathering. He understood why Hotaru brought them to the busiest part of town, a place where people focused only on themselves and what they needed to do instead of eavesdropping on another person's conversation, but all of the ruckus was distracting. If it had been a quieter part, sure, they could have focused more, but what was being said would also have been projected loud and clear.

"This," she said, holding up a small, pink device.

Duo leaned forward, intrigued. "It looks like a toy…" he mumbled and Hotaru pulled it back, slightly offended.

"They're our communicators," Makoto said as Hotaru nodded. The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "Fire it up, Hotaru. Let's talk with the queen."

Duo looked appalled. "Here?" he asked, looking back and forth between the two girls. "Now?"

But Hotaru had already pushed a button on the device. Something appeared on the tiny screen and Hotaru began to speak softly, the other three people unable to hear her words. She ignored their questioning looks and soon the trio leaned back in their chairs, waiting for Hotaru's update.

In the mean time, Heero, comfortably situated in his chair, looked carefully over to Makoto's neck. His eyes felt drawn to the white patch on her there, knowing exactly what lay beyond that bandage. He couldn't help the small urge building within him to draw blood from that wound once more. Since she'd become his host Heero couldn't help the fact that his mind had been filled with her blood that entire day. Being quite restrained himself, however, he was able to suppress the desire fully from being expressed in any way. The infection was working faster than he'd expected and it was strange not being able to control the mere urges his body sustained. However, despite whether he liked it or not Heero wasn't quite sure if what he yearned for was the agents in her blood that would heal him or frankly just her blood.

"Heero…"

The agent looked up from Makoto's neck to her eyes with a blank expression, not that she could necessarily read what was behind his sunglasses. The way she'd said his name had been soft and full of worry and he nearly abhorred her for it. "It's fine," he said curtly, looking away and only then noticing the small crack in the glass of lemonade he'd subconsciously been holding. His grip relaxed and he set the cup down, turning to Hotaru as she put away her little communicator and looked up towards the group.

"Interesting news…" she began.

* * *

"What do you mean you've stepped down?" Haruka asked sharply from her position against the wall. She was tired and she was cranky and the queen's ludicrous statement had simply set her off the edge. She gained reprimanding glances from the Black Ops agents and Wufei but she ignored them.

Usagi stood before the Senshi, minus Hotaru, Makoto, and Setsuna, and the Black Ops initiates plus Wufei and Trowa. She was garbed in nothing but a pink sundress and white slip-ons. Her crown was not on her head and her crystal had been set back into the brooch she wore before becoming queen. She still, however, carried herself with a certain grace and her beauty was by no means downplayed. She looked to Mamoru, who stood beside her, and then looked back to the people gathered in front of her after his encouraging nod.

"Not officially, Haruka. Mamoru will take over my position for now but while we're faced with such an intense enemy I can't just readily stand by. It's been my duty to protect this city and this planet since I was 14 and I intend to uphold that honor." Usagi looked out at those before her with a small smile. "I need to become Sailor Moon again."

Michiru frowned and was about to articulate a particular fact before Rei beat her to it.

"And what will you do when another strong enemy appears? Will you place your obligations on Mamoru's shoulder's once more?" Rei clasped her hands and leaned forwards, well aware of the slightly reproachful glances she was receiving. "Will you step down from queen every time an enemy appears?"

The quiet smile was never erased from Usagi's features. She stood there in a pocket of thought for a moment, hands clasped in front of her as she looked out to those who stood or sat before her. "If need be," she responded firmly. Michiru opened her mouth to say something again but Usagi held up her hand. When she spoke her tone was a bit stronger. "My _duty_ is first and foremost protector of this city and world. I'm not some political genius and that sphere is not the realm I chose for myself. I was given my powers for a reason, as were all of you, and when the people and the place I love is threatened by something, I _don't_ choose to stand idly by and watch the destruction unfold."

Usagi placed a hand to her heart and looked down. "A team is defined by a group of people working together to achieve a certain goal," she continued, keeping her eyes trained to the polished ground. "We may not be the team we once were but we are definitely still a team." She finally looked up with a gentle smile.

One could have dropped a pin in the room at that moment and it would have sounded like a roaring thunderstorm. Anybody who wasn't a Senshi in the room suddenly felt like the odd man out. Usagi's words, though spoken for all to hear, were obviously geared more towards her…team. Usagi sucked the dry air deeply into her lungs and slowly breathed out. Then suddenly it was as if her regality shifted, her shoulders were slumped a little lower and her posture was a little less perfect. "We need to work together," were her final words.

She watched carefully as slowly, one by one, the girls and guys gave her silent nods of approval or some form of acknowledgement. Turning to her husband she placed a hand to his arm and smiled. "Now if everyone would be so kind, I'd like to speak to—"

Mamoru leaned down and placed a kiss to her forehead. "We understand," was his simple response as he left her side and disappeared through the door. The Black Ops agents, Wufei, and Trowa got the hint and followed silently in his footsteps, still not quite sure what to make of the development.

Once they'd disappeared Usagi's silent smile slowly melted away. She watched the door slowly close and as it shut completely the air suddenly felt sucked from the room. Her eyes shifted from material to human and she watched as her Senshi struggled to wrap their brains around the situation as well. As she'd expected, Haruka was the first to speak up.

"You shouldn't put yourself—"

Usagi cut her off. "Please don't tell me that my place is not with you guys," she nearly pleaded, holding up her hands as if to fend off Haruka's words.

The tall blonde still frowned, her arms crossed tightly beneath her breasts. "You're the queen. You need to be protected—"

Minako snorted from her lazy position in a chair. "You didn't seem so worried about that fifteen years ago."

Haruka's harsh glare was replaced and situated firmly on Minako's stubborn position. Her eyes remained steadfast on the blonde now returning her glare but her words were issued towards Usagi. "To be frank, you'd be a liability." Usagi frowned.

Ami read her look and explained. "Based off of what we've seen so far it would be nearly impossible to do our Senshi duties." Ami placed a finger to her chin and crossed her legs, resting her elbow on her knee. "After a brief encounter Makoto's already been put into intensive care. Agent Noin claims it to be a monster beyond all belief. If we were so focused on keeping you protected then our initial duty to defeat the hybrids would become much more difficult."

Usagi placed her hands on her hips. "Do you think I can't take care of myself?" she asked.

Michiru shook her head. "It's not that," she began to explain. "It's the fact that if Ami, for example, were seriously injured I'd be less preoccupied than if you were seriously injured."

Usagi looked almost appalled. Her mouth hung slightly open with barely contained shock before she regained what she could of her composure. "Then that ends here," she said firmly, as if putting her foot down. "Ami and I are equals. We're all equals. Our duty is to save these hybrids not to worry about my well being."

"It's not that easy—" Haruka began but was cut off by Usagi's near shriek.

"Then make it that easy!" she cried, throwing her hands into the air. "Do none of you understand?" she asked, looking at each and every one of them. "This is not about me. This is not about you! This is about saving peoples lives and the duty we have to do so. Do you not understand? It's the whole reason we're_ here_ on this planet!" Her chest heaved, arms spread wide to accentuate her brief outburst as five women stared back at her.

Rei leaned back in her chair, the squeak resounding in the suddenly quiet room. "Fine," she said nonchalantly, her voice soft yet easily heard. All eyes turned in her direction. "I recognize the fact that this is a job meant to save other's lives, not to protect yours."

Usagi smiled graciously. She turned to face Haruka and Michiru. They looked at each other, a silent battle waged mutely between them. Haruka sighed and looked down before begrudgingly nodding. Michiru smiled and turned to face Usagi, nodding as well.

The blonde turned to face Ami. The blunette still had her finger to her chin, a speculative look encapsulating her eyes. "I still don't understand what this means," she said gently. When Usagi opened her mouth to speak she held up a hand. "I mean, I get what you're saying but frankly where does that leave all of us? What terms are we on now? Do things just…" she waved her hands around, "go back to normal?"

Usagi shook her head. "I can't just snap my fingers and ask for everything to be alright. I can't tell anyone how to feel," she said. Then she raised a finger. "What I can do, however, is let things move at their own pace. Minako."

The blond looked up from her chair.

"To you I would like to apologize."

Minako looked surprised. "Apologize?" she asked carefully as if she hadn't heard right.

Usagi nodded. "You were the one who stayed with me, stayed by me not for your own selfishness but for mine." Usagi placed a hand to her heart. "I feel as if that's taken away fifteen years of potential freedom you could have had." She watched as Minako looked down, the slightly angry expression on her face very readable. "But I have you to thank more than anyone. You, Minako, are the most amazing person I think I've ever met."

When she didn't dare to explain further Minako looked up slowly.

"Which is why," Usagi started again, "when this is all over we are going to hold a ball."

Minako couldn't help it when her ears perked at the word. Her inner girl surfaced and her face flushed. She'd begged Usagi in her earlier years to host a ball, a grand one like they'd had in the Silver Millennium. Minako cleared her throat and looked down, suddenly overcome with a fiery feeling that she would not be bought out.

"I know that doesn't settle everything or even anything," Usagi explained, "and it's not supposed to." She shook her head. "No, this ball will be for you, this ball will be recognizing your outstanding duty, your unwavering devotion, and the love you harbor for this city and this world. This ball, Minako, will be held in your honor." Usagi smiled down to her sitting posture. "There are no words that I can express to thank you, no amount of hugs I can give you for what you've done. You are my best friend and my gratitude is all I have to give."

Minako was not quite sure what to make of the development before her. Her mind was filled with years past, of happiness, of love, of the friendship that they all shared. There was nothing, _nothing_ like a bond like that. But then there was also the disconnect and the contention she could still feel almost tangibly between all of them, herself and Usagi included. As much as she just wanted things to revert back to fifteen years ago or even further back she knew that time was eroding at the once pristine friendship they'd all had.

Minako sighed. She was well aware of the fact that the queen was not trying to buy her out. From the look in Usagi's eyes she could tell that this was her way of apologizing for what had happened between them in her office. She was being recognized as a protector, as a proficient soldier and staff member. She did her job well. Minako became aware of the tears building in her eyes and gave a disgusted cluck of her tongue, waving her hand and closing her eyes, turning away. "Jeez," she said, "fine, fine, I accept."

Usagi smiled gaily and bent down, grasping the sitting girl in a hug. The other blonde refused to face her, not entirely comfortable with the tears brimming in her eyes, but hugged her back slightly nonetheless.

Usagi stepped back and sat down in a chair, her appearance suddenly becoming very grim. "Now I have some troubling information for you concerning the hybrids…and Makoto," she said, watching as eyes quickly turned her way from whatever venue they'd been staring at previously. She shook her head. "And Setsuna's setting the strings of fate, as well."

Ami leaned forward, very ready to hear the news about her partner. "What's going on?" she asked, fearing the worst.

Usagi sighed. "Last night Agent Yuy and Makoto were brought in to urgent care. While going to process the third victim they came across one of the hybrids." Usagi pursed her lips. "In that encounter they were both severely hurt and…" her eyebrows creased, "and bitten."

Ten pairs of eyebrows shot into their hairlines, surprise the only feature evident on their faces. Rei was the first to come down from the surprise. "And the outcome?" she asked.

"At first we believed it was nothing but quarantine wanted to keep them under their care just in case. They did a blood test to see if there had been any internal effects." Usagi shook her head softly. "This morning quarantine contacted me in a frantic storm of worry. Apparently the tests came back revealing that both of their DNA was being altered."

Ami nearly looked horrified. "Altered?" she questioned softly.

Usagi nodded. "With time they would both become hybrids." Haruka made an exclamation but Usagi held her hand up, explaining exactly what Hotaru had told her over the communicator not but minutes ago. The room settled to a more repressed horror as she explained that Hotaru had released Duo due to Setsuna's command and that they were safe but hiding from quarantine.

"Can't you just call quarantine off?" Michiru asked logically

Usagi shook her head. "Quarantine is able to restrain and exterminate anything it deems sensibly worthy of harm to people. I have no control over that."

Minako looked confused. "But can't you tell them what Hotaru told you, about our blood and how Makoto has become…" she swallowed harshly, "a host?"

Usagi bit her nail. "I could try," she said softly though her eyes held an unsure light.

Haruka pushed herself from the wall. "That's all we ask," she said, standing tall. "But in the mean time what are we going to do now? What are we going to do about Makoto and Agent Yuy?"

Usagi quickly pointed to Ami. "You and Minako will work on deciphering the Lunarian letters." The two nodded. "About Makoto and Agent Yuy…all we can do is leave them in Hotaru and Setsuna's capable hands." She turned to the rest of the girls she had yet to address. "And that is where you all come in. Haruka, Michiru, tonight the higher society is having a get together, a party of sorts. You two have been signed on to be the music."

Michiru raised an eyebrow. "We have, have we?" she asked as Usagi smiled.

"Your job," the blonde said, "is to keep an eye on …her." She pointed directly at Rei.

Rei looked surprised. "Me?" she asked, pointing to herself and looking around the room, confused.

Usagi nodded. "I spoke with Director Po this morning. Apparently Setsuna's been in contact with her and introduced her to a kind young man named Quatre Winner."

Three mouths dropped open "Quatre?!" Rei, Haruka, and Michiru exclaimed, leaning forward in incredulity.

Usagi nearly laughed at their faces. "You," she said, pointing to Rei again, "will be his date."

Rei raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I'll be what?" she asked, glaring at Usagi.

"His date."

"And _why_, pray tell, am I going to be Quatre's date to a party?"

Usagi smiled softly. The night before, Agent Noin had informed Sally Po of what her Senshi had talked about in the mortuary. Sally Po, there to inform Usagi about Quatre Winner, relayed to her the information she was about to share. "Francois Elan will be attending."

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other.

"Who's that?" they chorused.

* * *

After they'd decided a plan of action the girls began to leave. Just as Rei was about to step through the door Usagi captured her shoulder.

"Wait, Rei," she said. "Can we talk for a moment?"

Rei turned slowly, closing the door gently and nodding before walking back into the room. They stood there silently facing one another, neither quite sure what to say. Rei could feel the tension almost tangibly between them and was unnerved by its presence. She knew that there was a pain shifting between them, a virus that needed to be sucked out before it infected the entirety of their friendship. Rei sighed, knowing that she would have to be the one to start whatever meltdown was quickly approaching. She knew that she'd come across some understanding, some semblance of knowledge as to how her life was crumbling before her very own eyes. She cleared her throat.

"It was after about the sixth year…" Rei looked to the ceiling as she attempted to recall the exact setting upon which she'd come across her epiphany. She placed a delicate finger to her chin. "I was at home with a man, someone I'd been dating for about seven months."

Usagi couldn't help the swell of hurt that waved through her chest. It was strange to now hear about Rei's daily life, about how she'd finally come to garner the things they'd always dreamed about as kids. She felt a chip of her life had been missing, she hadn't been there to witness Rei succumb to infatuation with this man, she didn't know what he looked like, what he did, or even what his name was. For some reason everything felt so foreign.

Rei didn't miss the look that passed over Usagi's face but didn't feel the exuberant need to acknowledge it. Instead she continued on with her story. "I've never really felt anything for someone like I did for him, I've never felt the desire to even _be_ with anyone or _stay_ with anyone until I met him." Rei nearly sighed, missing the days when their relationship was far less complicated. "And it was that night that he told me he loved me."

Usagi swallowed dryly, the revelation hitting her firmly in the chest. She felt slight anguish tighten at her throat like a squeezing hand. How could Rei not have told her any of this? How had she not been informed that someone had fallen in love with her closest friend? How had they not gossiped for hours over miniscule details and…Rei's complex emotions for him in return?

Rei crossed her arms and sighed, closing her eyes gently. "He told me he loved me so much that he felt like we were soul mates." After a tense, pregnant pause, Usagi's eyes wide and awaiting her next words, Rei let out a scoff and an tiny smile grew on her lips that didn't reach her eyes. "It was then that I wondered, 'how do I explain to him that my soul is ultimately so irrevocably consumed by a duty and claimed by another's existence that it's almost as if it were not my own?' It was then that I asked myself, 'why, Rei, if this is true, did you even leave in the first place? Why would you strain the very bonds you've worked so hard to create when deep down inside you knew, you _knew_, that your soul was not your own to give?'"

Usagi's fist clenched tightly at her side and she suddenly felt weary. She felt weary, hurt, and regretful as Rei finally opened her eyes and looked at her. Her neck fluctuated with the effort it took to swallow and she couldn't help it when her eyes began to wet. "Rei," she said softly, deeply embarrassed by the fact that her voice shook with the strain of holding back her sorrow. Rei watched her and Usagi was able to see that beneath the overbearing sense of emotional fatigue there was some semblance of sadness. "Rei, I don't want to be the one responsible for your pain."

Rei closed her eyes again and ran a tentative hand through her hair gently. "Usagi," she said and the girl couldn't help but catch a slight reprimanding undertone. She seemed almost exasperated, Usagi's name nearly forced breathily from her chest. Rei sighed. "It's not anything you've done, Usagi. _You_ are not responsible for my pain, it is not any thing you personally have done." She started to say something more but stopped herself. "It's hard to explain," she finished.

Usagi toyed with her wedding ring almost nervously. "Try," she urged.

Rei looked to the ceiling and her eyes blinked rapidly. Usagi's heart thumped in her chest harshly, realizing that this conversation was probably something Rei had thought about since she'd left the palace so long ago. The weight that had been set on their shoulders had accumulated over years and years and to finally have to ability to let it slide off and be able to stand tall once again was an emotionally taxing feeling. She reached out to touch Rei's shoulder but pulled back, slightly embarrassed when the raven-haired woman shied from her hand.

Rei's nostrils flared and her lips pursed with the effort it took to hold back her tears. "You can't help being you, Usagi," she said quickly, her voice bubbling with unshed grief. "You can't help who you are, who you were born to be…" Rei cut her own self off suddenly and clapped a hand over her eyes. She was silent, one hand fisted, not exactly sure where to go, the other hand nearly shaking and pressed firmly over her eyes. Usagi could see the strength Rei was exerting, her muscles flexed, as she clamped her hand ruthlessly over her eyes. The shake in her hand became more noticeable and Usagi felt ready to cry. Rei's lips turned down in a harsh frown, quivering slightly with the effort she put into restraining herself from crying. "And neither can I." Despite how hard she tried, it was obvious to Usagi that Rei was crying.

The queen couldn't admit that she was surprised when she felt her own tears begin sliding down her cheeks, hot trails scalding painful tracks into her innocent skin. She wiped them furiously from her face. "Rei, I—"

"It's not your fault," Rei said, keeping her hand over her eyes, still not willing to let anybody see her cry. "It could never be your fault, Usagi."

"Rei, that's just not true—"

"My soul may be ages old, it may harbor the same respect for the duty I am to uphold that is has for countless years, but my…" Rei's fisted hand unclenched itself slowly and pressed gently above her right breast. Despite the fact that she knew exactly what she wanted to say she couldn't help the swell of embarrassment that rose in her chest and the strict repression of the word. "I'm different."

Usagi, not as emotionally refined as Rei, was not afraid to let her emotions show plainly on her face or be heard in the room. She sniffled harshly and wiped at her tears again.

"It was just that the prospect of a life of my own, to find someone who would be there for my like Mamoru would be there for you…" Rei shook her head harshly and turned for the door, finally dropping her hand. Usagi faced her back, hand outstretched though not quite sure what it desired to do. Rei sniffled and took a deep breath, her voice finally steady once again. "It took me years to come to the conclusion that what I'd believed as a teenager, that men were the complete bane of my existence, that I didn't need them, was a defense mechanism. I concluded that it was my body's way of blaming my father for everything he'd done." She wiped her eyes with her dry hand. "And now it's taken me fifteen more to realize that it'd been my soul reinitiating the curse that will forever be a part of us Senshi…" Rei looked over her shoulder and Usagi caught a brief glance of her tired, sad eyes. "We're not meant to love or be loved by anyone but each other."

So shocked by her statement, Usagi felt it nearly impossible to rouse herself from her position as Rei walked towards the door slowly. The amethyst-eyed woman gripped the knob but paused for a moment, looking down to her feet.

"Rei, please don't say that," Usagi pleaded softly.

Rei gave a small, humorless chuckle. "Whether you express an insistence that the job not be about protecting you, Usagi, it doesn't matter. It always was about you, it always is about you, and it always will be about you, no matter how hard you try to refute it."

"Rei, please!" By now Usagi was almost begging.

"It's why we're _here_, Usagi. We were born solely to protect you. It's the reason we're alive. And I have to admit I'm glad that my duty is to protect you of all people. You and the girls are the closest thing I've had to a real, concrete family. For that, I'm willing to put my life on the line." Rei turned the knob and opened the door slightly. She had to admit she was thoroughly surprised when the door slammed shut with an unrivaled force. The sound snapped into her eardrums and she blinked furiously. Looking up she found Usagi's hand placed firmly on the door.

"Don't I get to say anything, Rei?!" she cried, tears coursing unabashedly down her face. "Don't I get to say my piece?" she asked, hand grasping at her chest.

Rei took her hand from the knob and turned slightly to face Usagi. She hated this feeling, she racked her brain to find any word harsher than hate to describe how much she abhorred, detested, loathed the feeling clenching at her chest like an unforgiving lock. Her body strained with an effort to keep her emotions in check, her body ached with the desire to scream, to cry, to hit something, to curl up into a ball and weep her sorrows away. But she couldn't. And she wouldn't.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me that you're not meant to love or be loved by anyone else!" Usagi nearly screamed, her chest heaving with the emotions Rei yearned to express herself. "Have you learned nothing?" she pleaded, looking the Senshi of Mars directly in her eyes. Her face was nearly a mottled red and her eyes held a furious passion. She threw her arm out as if to display something dramatically. "All I can advocate is love, Rei!" She heaved a breath. "Do you remember what you said to me?"

Rei didn't even need her to say when or where, she knew exactly what Usagi meant. She nodded.

"_Imagine a life without Mamoru, Usagi," Rei had said._

"_Rei, that's not fair—"_

"_You know, out of all of these years I think that you've fallen out of love with him," Rei urged, trying to goad the reaction from Usagi that she desired, the one that would help demonstrate what she meant._

_Usagi gasped, her face looking aghast and appalled at Rei's words. "What are you saying? Rei, why are you doing this?" She knew she didn't mean it, she knew there was something she was trying to get at. Sure they fought all the time but there was no way that she could actually have meant her words…was there?_

_Rei shook her head. "Getting around the question Usagi only makes it seem like I'm right."_

"_How could you possibly say that, you know I love Mamoru!"_

"_Usagi—"_

"_No!" she cried, swiping her arm across the air as if to fend off her words in a battle. "How dare you doubt my love for him. That's unbelievably absurd! I've loved him all of my life, we've been through so much together. Rei, we've died for each other in more ways than one! We're going to have a child together! I love him more than anyone could ever imagine, it's an inexplicable feeling that captivates my whole body." She pressed a hand to her heart and clenched the fabric that resided over it. "I can't live without Mamoru. I'm so in love with him. And the fact that you would doubt this hurts me more than anything."_

_Rei smiled and looked at her as if she finally got it. "And I guess I'll never understand that feeling." _

_Turning slowly Rei walked away._

"_That_ Rei, that was precisely what allowed me to finally let you guys go. _That_ was what made me realize that I was being selfish! I wanted you to find that same feeling, Rei, and _this_ is the conclusion you came to?" she asked softly, her tears finally slowing as her confusion and hurt seeped through.

Usagi sighed, placing a gentle hand to her own forehead. "You've seen the Galaxy Cauldron, Rei, you know that new stars, new souls are being produced every moment. You know how beautiful it is, you've seen it with your own eyes." Usagi reached out and grasped Rei's arm, knowing that the girl wasn't going to pull away. "Your soul was created there too. Your very existence was forged mere feet from where you stood." She grabbed Rei's chin and turned it softly to face her own. "Yes, we may have an obligation that's strenuous, that's taxing, that pulls on our heartstrings and toys with our emotions but we are people. We're people, Rei, we're stars. We've been born with the right to live according to nobody's rules but our own." She let go of her chin and instead embraced her in a tight hug. Usagi couldn't necessarily believe what she was about to say but…

"Quiet nights breed quiet stars. And in that fateful silence they find their place and grow. They grow and fashion the beautiful beings we serve to protect. They grow to become the people that we love, Rei, and they grow to become the people that will love us." Usagi let her go. "That's just the way it is. That's the way it's always been." She shook her head gently and smiled to herself, all tears wiped away. "And that's precisely why I need to step down. I don't enjoy being Neo-Queen Serenity, Rei, that's not who I am."

Rei finally turned her entire body to face Usagi, her lips curled slightly upwards in a ghost of a smile. It had yet to actually reach her eyes but the dead-like pain that they'd exuded before was no longer there.

Usagi let loose a real smile and looked up to Rei. "I'm just a girl. I'm just Usagi. If I had my way I would only be her and I would only be Sailor Moon." She giggled slightly behind her hand. "I still have klutz attacks, I still whine all the time and put my carrots on Mamoru's plate. I still make jokes and read manga and there's nothing in the word as fabulous as ice cream." Her brightening smile began to fade, however, and she sighed. "Unfortunately it's not as easy for me to step away from my position. Given the chance, though," she looked up to Rei seriously, "I'd drop it in a heartbeat."

Rei's look melted again. "Usagi—"

"But it's all okay because I love you. I love all the girls and there's nothing any of you can say or do that will make me think otherwise," the shorter girl said, placing both of her hands on Rei's shoulders. "This is where we are. We've just got to do what we've always done." Usagi nodded firmly, her pigtails bouncing with her movement.

Rei looked down at the firm resolve floating in Usagi's eyes. It was suddenly as if a wave of comfort, as if this was where she truly belonged, as if she'd finally come home washed over her and blanketed her in warmth. She had to admit, she'd missed Usagi's strength, she'd missed her firm belief that everything, no matter what the circumstance, was going to be alright. Thus, in effect, Rei was powerless when, and exerted no effort to refrain it, a smile blossomed on her lips.

"And what's that…meatball head?"

While Usagi was shocked in silence, the catchy words from their younger years ringing within her ears, almost as an afterthought Rei nabbed one of her pigtails and tugged on it slightly.

Usagi's eyes were wide, almost disbelieving. After a moment of silence she let loose a torrent of laughter that was so infectious Rei couldn't help but join her softly.

"Kick some Youma-butt, duh!"

* * *

Rei's fingers gripped the slim champagne flute delicately. Her fingers molded to the ribbed glass and she took a small sip, listening to the bumblebee like chatter that engulfed the room. It was constant and it was annoying, words like 'fluxuation', 'miniscule', and 'problematic' the three most common that frequented her ears.

She was a little tired from her talk with Usagi both emotionally and physically but despite those setbacks she set her eyes on the duty at hand. She peered around the room.

Most of the women wore black. The only things that differentiated were the length, the material, and the cut. Some were v-neck, some were square. Some were short and some were long. Some were silk, some were cotton. But most nearly all of them were that neutral, godforsaken black.

Rei felt out of place in her knee length, olive dress. She could feel the women staring at her out of the corner of their eyes, their calculating diamond-eyed glances analyzing her top to bottom. 'Who is _she_?' Rei could sense them asking, their frowns insinuating that they didn't like someone who wasn't a part of _their_ lifestyle infiltrating the party 'scene'.

She rolled her eyes discreetly and finished the glass, setting it tactfully on a passing waiter's tray. Her eyes followed it for a moment, just to make sure that the lovely thing didn't topple and fall. Just as she nodded in satisfaction she felt someone take her hand and place another glass in it.

Looking up, Rei saw Quatre smiling down at her. The sweet thing was infectious and she couldn't help but give him one, albeit smaller, in return.

"I figured you could use another," he said lowly, taking a sip of his own.

Rei gave a small snort. "How could you tell?" she asked jokingly, taking a larger gulp from her own glass. "Was it my overeager attitude to enthusiastically converse with the world's future overbearing, pearl-wearing mothers of higher society?"

Quatre gave a diplomatic smile and placed a hand to the small of her back, leaning towards her ear. "I would be careful what you say," he whispered to her. "Those overbearing, pearl-wearing mothers have ears like a hawk and will pick you apart like that teacher in primary school you'll never forget."

Rei raised an eyebrow, the amethyst orbs boring into his aquamarine ones. It was February versus March. "And you're touching me precisely because…?" Her eyes glanced down to his arm, the warm hand still perched firmly on the small of her back.

He smirked. "Unless you want us both to be shunned I suggest you let it stay there," he whispered again, taking a look around the large room.

Sure enough, as Rei looked around, each male hand his hand placed adroitly upon his female counterpart. Wherever it was, the shoulder, between the shoulder blades, the back, the waist, there was almost always a hand there. Rei gave a nod. "Understood, I get it." Her look turned sour in a flash however. "But let it wander and I kill you later tonight."

Quatre took another sip of his champagne. "Are you implying that there's going to be a 'later tonight'?" He laughed at her incredulous demeanor.

"You—"

"Quatre!" a voice called, interrupting Rei's slightly infuriated comeback.

Looking up Quatre gave another diplomatic smile, something Rei realized he was very good at, and gave a call of hello to the couple maneuvering their way towards them. "Raiko and Takami Manazuwa. Careful, they're very judgmental and will make plenty of comments on our relationship."

Rei shot him a glance. "Our what?" she asked quickly, question coming out almost as monotonously as Heero sometimes spoke.

"Stay cool," he mumbled just as the two approached, him giving Quatre a firm handshake and his wife getting two kisses on the cheeks from the blonde.

Oh how Rei wanted to glare at him. Cool? If he wanted cool he should have brought Sailor Mercury, the Senshi of ice, definitely not the Senshi of fire. The only thing that rivaled her flaming hot powers was her passionate temper. But so as not to make a scene she plastered on a smile as Quatre introduced her.

"Who is your beautiful date?" Reika asked and Rei could feel her greedy eyes roaming every inch of her body, analyzing, calculating, wondering. Her facial expressions weren't very subliminal. "She has quite a short dress." And neither were her comments.

Quatre spoke before Rei could spit out a comeback, which she was obviously ready for because her mouth was open and prepared. "Raiko, Takami, this is my friend Rei Hino," he said, inconspicuously grabbing Rei's clenched fist, unwinding her fingers and fitting his hand into hers.

Rei didn't look at him but felt a blush begin to form on her cheeks and her smile tighten uncomfortably. "It's nice to meet you," she said, not meaning a word of it.

"And you as well, dear," Raiko said, waving a hand as if to show off a new, sparkly ring. Looking back to Quatre her smile became genuine. "Oh Quatre you really have grown up. It feels like just yesterday you were that sweet little boy. Not that your charm has disappeared, you're still as charming as ever," she said, patting his arm.

Quatre laughed. "You're too kind, Raiko, you flatter me too much."

"Pish-posh, dear," she refuted, noticing their linked hands. "How long have you two been dating?" she asked, expecting an answer.

Rei looked startled. "Oh, we—"

"—Have been together for about three months," Quatre cut her off, taking his hand from hers and wrapping it around her waist, pulling her slightly closer to him.

Rei, pressed against his side, looked up with a raised eyebrow. "We have?" she questioned, wanting so badly to put a hand on her waist and a fireball down his pants.

"As of a week ago," he smiled down to her, loving the unnerved look that was plastered to her face for a moment.

Rei's frown turned upside down in a millisecond. So that was the game he wanted to play? Satisfy all of his dopey, ass-like, fake friends at her expense? If he cared so much about what these damn people thought then why on crystal earth did he come to these sorts of things? If he was going to use her to save face then he was going to have to play the whole game. Nobody used Rei Hino and got away with it unused in return.

She gave him a sweet smile and placed a hand to his chest. "Oh you're right," she said gently and she could see him give her a contained incredulous look.

"Oh that's sweet," Raiko said. "How did you two meet?"

Quatre blushed. "Oh, well we—"

"Met overseas," Rei grinned as she gave his chest a pat. "Remember, Quatre?"

"Oh I remember." He smiled tightly, wondering just what ludicrous story she was going to come up with.

"I was visiting a friend in Tel Aviv," Rei explained and Raiko's face lit up at the name of the place.

"Oh, beautiful city, isn't it?" she said, a dreamy look in her eyes. It almost looked as if she were beginning to like Rei.

"Beautiful," she agreed, "but not as beautiful as where I met Quatre, was it?" she asked him rhetorically.

The blonde smiled down at her nervously. "No," he said, "no it wasn't."

Raiko looked intrigued. "Where did you meet?"

Rei smirked. "On a bus to Jordan." She looked up to Quatre and gave his chest a pat and he gripped her waist hard in annoyance. Rei turned to Raiko. "We were both going to see Petra. It was amongst the Roman ruins that he asked to see me again," she giggled as he gave a false chuckle.

"Yes, Petra, gorgeous really, Raiko. You should take your fabulous husband there, I'm sure you two would enjoy it."

Raiko looked thoughtful. "I guess we will Takama!" she laughed. "If it can bring this lovely couple together then I'm sure it will do wonders for our romance." Her husband laughed at her joke. "Quatre, dear, Mr. Yamika is over by the drinks, you really should come to say hello."

"Of course," he said, his hand sliding to the small of Rei's back. "I'll be right back, _honey_," he said, beginning to pull away as the older couple walked off.

Rei gave a sugary smile and a petite wave of her hand, watching until enough distance was put between them. Her smile melted away once they became immersed in their own conversation and she huffed out a gentle sigh. It was tough to allow people to judge who she was based solely on her looks; her personality just normally didn't allow it. She looked down at her hands, trying to hold her annoyance within.

"You're not wearing black."

Rei nearly jumped, looking up so quick she felt her neck crack. Her startled expression was almost like a deer caught in headlights, as if she'd been doing something she wasn't supposed to do. The man in front of her chuckled at her actions. He was an elderly man, hair a peppered gray and his eyes crinkled permanently at the ends. His lips held a perpetual smile, but a smile Rei did not feel comfortable with. He was tall and thin with a build that screamed that he was an elderly man who cared deeply about his physicality. Not to mention his voice was smooth, rich and throaty…and his accent was French. He held a very thick, very French accent.

Rei rubbed her shoulder, very aware of just who this man was. "I was unaware there was a dress code," she murmured bitterly, looking over her shoulder at the multitude of black dresses swishing about. She wasn't the only one who was not garbed in the monotonous tone but she definitely stood out.

He gave another chuckle and took a sip from his champagne glass, eyes watching her over it's flute. "New to the game, are we?" he asked.

Rei tried not to act nervous and was quite conscious that she was far better at this whole acting thing then she really aught to be. Rei giggled behind her hand and gave him a seemingly shy smile. "Is it that obvious?"

He grinned. "Only as obvious as your beauty," he said and Rei waved an embarrassed hand at his comment. "Not many women can pull off olive green. Who is your escort?"

Rei looked over her shoulder to where Quatre was talking with his friends from the upper echelon. As if sensing her gaze he turned his head slightly and smiled gently at her. Though she returned it in kind, the blonde noticed the man she was talking to and his smile vanished. Rei turned back to face the tall Frenchman in front of her. "Quatre Winner. He's my, uh…boyfriend. Of about three months now."

"Ah, Winner! Yes, I hear good things about that boy. Never really met him though, miss…?" He down to her with a raised eyebrow, hand extended.

Rei placed a hand to her chest. "Where are my manners," she said, placing her hand within his, prepared for a shake. "My name is Rei." Needless to say she was fully surprised and unprepared when he brought her hand to his lips. She, however, was not impressed with his flashy ways.

He stood straight. "My name is Francois Elan," he said, placing a hand to his chest

"I've heard so many good things about you."

Rei looked up, surprised, as Quatre came and stood beside her, his arm winding around her waist almost naturally. She smiled, thankful that he'd come back over. Francois Elan was enticing and had an air of power around him, but that power exuded something far blacker than sheer authority.

Francois smiled brightly. "As I have about you, son," he said gaily, holding out his hand. Quatre took it and shook it firmly. Francois crossed his arms, that all knowing smile pasted securely onto his elderly lips. "Say," he said, reaching a hand into his pocket. Rei felt Quatre's hand grip her waist tightly. "My hotel, _Elan_, is having a 20th anniversary party to celebrate the years of successful business. Why don't you two attend? I'll be sure to put your names on the guest list."

Rei smiled brightly, heart thumping at the opportunity. This could be absolutely perfect for their infiltration of his society. What luck… "That would be wonderf—"

Her words were cut off by a series of events that happened in quick succession. First, a man pushed his seat back from a table, standing and blissfully unaware of what was happening behind him. His chair had knocked into an elderly woman and she stumbled into the arms of a brown haired youth. Catching her weight, the youth took a few steps back and consequently ran into a waiter. The waiter lost his balance and in turn he lost control of the tray he was carrying, which was holding two flutes of champagne. The circular, metal tray rammed harshly and directly into Quatre's side.

Champagne flew into the air, blotting across the front of Quatre's shirt. Some landed on the waiter and sprinkles of it dotted Rei's face. She flinched as Quatre bumped into her and fluid prayed towards her eyes. The champagne flutes were launched into the air and fell to the ground, shattering immediately upon impact. From such great heights the glass rebounded off of the polished floor and sprayed towards the closest occupants of shared space. Quatre covered Rei for a moment, allowing the fragments to ricochet off of his protected back before laying like strewn jewels on the ground.

Quatre pulled away and looked down to Rei. She noticed flecks of pain in both his eyes and his voice. "Are you alright?" he asked gently only for her to hear as the large room suddenly became a swarm of worried voices.

After Rei nodded in affirmation she followed his arm that wasn't grasping her to the inside of his jacket. Quatre was holding his side in obvious pain…but could a rammed tray have really caused him such grief?

Quatre looked down slowly and pulled his hand slightly away from his side. Rei, having seen the flash of red on his finger tips, knew that something was not right. The tray could hardly have caused Quatre to bleed; sure it would have produced a nasty bruise that would have made inhaling ache, but blood?

The room was filled with a bunch of hubbub, the sound of frantic apologizing echoing throughout in a dizzying manner. Eager to escape anyone else's eyes Rei turned to Francois Elan, her hand pressed firmly to Quatre's arm. "We would love to attend your party Mr. Elan, thank you so much for your invite. But now we must excuse ourselves. It was nice to meet you," she said with a smile as he reciprocated the thanks. "Let's go wash this champagne off of you," she said to Quatre, linking her arm through his and pulling him towards the bathroom.

With the main room up in a tizzy it was easy to escape the wondering eyes of the elite. Rei stole into the bathroom with Quatre and locked the door behind her. In an air of impatience she spun and tagged the blonde with a meaningful glare. Quatre, however, was not paying attention to her and gingerly took his black jacket from his shoulders.

His white shirt below was stained with a dark red, a round blotch flourishing against the bright canvas of cloth. He pursed his lips almost as if annoyed and held his arms out to assess the damage. Rei crossed her arms.

"What is that?" she asked haughtily, taking a few steps towards him until she faced him full on.

Quatre looked up almost as if he hadn't known she was in the room before peering back down at his wound. "It looks like that tray snagged me pretty good," he said nonchalantly, loosening his tie with one hand and leaning back against the sink table.

Rei was not convinced. "That tray did not do that to you."

Quatre looked up with a raised eyebrow, not so keen on her attitude. "Says who?" he asked, stopping in his one handed effort to release his tie. It rested sloppily around his neck as he rolled up his sleeves instead, looking her dead in the eye with the challenge.

Rei, not one to feel comfortable with knowing that she was being lied to, stepped forward angrily. In a flurry of quick movement she gripped his shirt with both of her hands where the buttons kept it clasped closed. Quatre, quite aware of her motives, reached out to grab her wrists and stop her. But she'd already started pulling. His shirt flung open, buttons spraying onto the floor with a clattering noise. Her arms held his shirt wide to display what resided beneath.

Wrapped securely around his torso were rings of white bandages. They circled tightly around his abdomen and sported a colorful blossom of blood on his side, the epicenter of his pain. Rei pursed her lips in both worry an annoyance. She looked up to his face, her wrists still gripped in a vice like grasp. She dropped the opening of his shirt, the white material fluttering inwards like curtains to cut off her view of his wound. Quatre no longer sported his usual kind look, his lips no longer held that sincere smile. His look was cold, his eyes were hardened, and he was _not_ happy.

"What happened to you?" she asked gently, only barely nervous from his aggravated look.

Quatre shoved her hands away from in with an annoyed tsk and crossed his arms over his now bare chest. Rei took a step back and mirrored the action. She tilted her head to the side, waiting for his response. "I got caught," was all he would say.

Rei raised an eyebrow. Now what exactly was _that_ supposed to mean?

* * *

And voila! Another chapter long as hell. There wasn't a lot of fighting but there was some confrontation. This chapter, I know, focused mostly on Rei but that's because her story had kind of been put on the back burner for a while and there are some important things going on with her. Now before you go and scold me for my fluffy reunion between Usagi and Rei or Usagi's promise to Minako you have to understand that everything is, by no means, back to normal. I just figure that by this stage the girls have reached a maturity where they find the job and saving people's lives more important than their petty internal arguments. If they need to be a team then they will be a team. As well, Usagi took the initiative during the meeting and assigned roles solely because she was the only one with all of the linking information. Have no worries, Minako will reprise her leadership role in due time. Anyways, next chapter will most likely be comprised of these stories (again I figure I can give you a taster because it's going to take awhile to push out): Minako and Wufei actually _talk_ about what happened. Ami is holed up in the lab with Trowa and begins to unravel the mystery of the Lunarian letters. Makoto and Heero are stuck in a sticky situation when someone walks in on their 'host' process. Lastly, Rei finds out what happened to Quatre (though it's kind of obvious). It'll probably be the first chapter with a little bit of actual romance. Perhaps I'll even throw in an encounter with the hybrids again. Who knows. It'll be a surprise :)

So many new reviewers! I'm so pleased!

**The Cuteness:** Thank you for your compliments! I was going to say, haha, it must have taken a while to read, it's quite long. I'm glad you liked it and I hope the update left you wanting more again.

**Fatal Mars: **I know what you mean about Minako. Truly I do. But it's just kind of the role she's stuck in right now. I don't like to rush things so getting her back to normal is not going to happen in the next chapter or so, but I hope you can bear it for a little longer. I'm glad she's at least tolerable to you. Haha, yeah, Makoto and Heero's part was a lot of fun to write. That whole scenario is just fun—hence why I created it! I'm glad you liked it and hopefully this chapter was up to par.

**JPandS: **Thank you! Keeping people in character is something that I really value. When things are rushed or you give people emotions or attitudes that just don't fit them or the context you've created it just irks me. Hopefully there's more interesting things in this chapter! And oh yes, trust me, there's going to be plenty more to read. To be honest the end is nowhere in sight at the rate I'm going…I really enjoyed the part with Hotaru, Duo, Makoto and Heero too, that entire relationship is going to be very, _very_ fun to write—Hotaru's and Duo's as well. Thanks for your review!

**JW Jump:** Yeah, it all kind of starts off slow because I don't like to rush. The problem with that is that a lot of people don't really understand where it's going. It just takes some time, haha, things will start to unravel and finally pieces will start falling into place. But it's like a book! You don't really know what's going on at first until the action starts and the story line really gets going. It's funny that you compare it to chocolate—I'm a slave to chocolate's overwhelming goodness! To me that is a great compliment, haha! I hope you liked the chapter as well and thank you for your review.

**nadeshiko_yunna: **Thank you for your review! I'm glad it's different, haha, that's kind of the feel I was going for. I really didn't want it to be like all of the rest of the stories out there because they're all the same. You're welcome for the story but thank _you_ for reading it! I'm glad you liked it :)

**nequam-tenshi: **More girl action in this chapter, yeah? Hope you liked it :) Chibi-Usa will appear in due time. Thanks for your review!

**oombala: **Yeah, I really enjoyed writing and re-reading the Minako/Wufei scene. It was quite a gem of a moment…I was really excited with it. I can't really help my view of centered fics. It's not that they're not good (even though a lot of them are) it's just that I can't stand _one_ person's woes and feelings and relations with other people. Sure some of them I can stand but, I don't know, it just doesn't draw my attention. I guess it's because I kind of always root for that character that doesn't get much of the spotlight, and when all of the spotlight is placed on one person they no longer become that underrepresented character anymore that gave them appeal. You know what I mean? Anyway, when it comes to pairings I have no preference. I tend to grimace at the generic ones because so often they turn out to be crappy, but if the relationship is written well then I don't really care who's with whom. I totally went through a Makoto/Quatre phase though, so I know what you mean with the ones you now like. Lots more emotion in this chapter! The girls are starting to spit out all that they want to say. Oh, and I know, I love Heero's cure, haha, it's going to make for some smoldering scenes :) Don't worry, Duo and Usagi's relationship will be explained…sort of. It's more of an implied thing but more hints towards that implication will happen once things start to settle down. Thank you for the wonderful review!

**TristaDin:** Ah, sorry no guy interaction really in this chapter :( But honestly, you're almost right about what will happen when they all kind of get together. In all honesty I'm planning a big scene where it's the five girls and the five guys all together at one point, a big meeting of sorts that kind of clears up some other stuff. I promise more interaction with the guys will happen, I just have to _get _them all together! They're so far apart from each other! But no worries, it will all come about. Needless to say, a lot of the guys will be surprised by a lot of the other guy's new outlooks, physical looks, and reactions to each other. Meanwhile, I hope this chapter was enough to suffice…thank you for your review!

**TopazDragon:** I swear we write letters to each other over these things…anyways, I know the last chapter was a stop at 'whoa' station. I was really excited to kind of further the whole cop aspect of it with the history and the secrets with the Japanese and French and whatnot. This chapter, however, was kind of filled more with the relationships rather than the mystery of the hybrids. That will come about more in the next chapter.

I'm glad you liked the Minako, Ami, and Rei scene. They were kind of jumpy in their comebacks and statements but they were all frazzled, kind of like they were in this chapter—after all, Usagi's revelation was quite a shocker. And you're right! All of the Senshi haven't even gathered together, Makoto and Hotaru haven't even really talked to any of the other Senshi yet and Setsuna is still working in her mysterious ways. In this chapter there was more of a talk between Usagi and Rei. I had to clear the air on that one, it was a long time coming. Bottled up emotions, you know? Years of thoughts you're finally able to express. Plus I wanted to show that Rei still didn't want anyone to see her express any severe emotions so I had her place her hands over her eyes when she cried. I just can't imagine her being comfortable with anyone, even Usagi, seeing her in such a vulnerable state.

A _goddess??_ Me oh my, I'm not sure I can claim that title. I'm ecstatic you loved the scene though! It was definitely one of my favorite scenes that I've ever written. It's weird because I've never really had a taking with Wufei and he ends up being a main part of one of my pride and joys. Your insight into Minako's character is awesome. We all kind of take to our own Senshi and understand more about her than almost anyone else we know. To be honest I could probably write an entire scholastic _paper_ on Makoto alone, haha, as I'm sure you could do for Minako. I'm glad the scene was mhm :) I'd say that's almost the perfect way to describe it, lol. You've gotta give it up to raw emotion, it's simply the best. I see where you're coming from though when you say you though perversely at some of their sayings. Haha, what I meant with Wufei, though, is that she was making him feel things that he wasn't necessarily comfortable with feeling. She was making him feel an assortment of emotions that he didn't really want to feel and, in essence, was 'doing' numerous things to him that he was not as ease with feeling. Thus there were so many things that she was making him feel that it was almost as if there wasn't anything he wasn't feeling, hence the "What _aren't_ you doing to me?"

I'm definitely getting used to Trowa. He comes more naturally now and his actual character within the story is getting a lot more comfortable with being around Ami. I'd say right now he kind of feels like he needs to protect her, she's the one person who's really taken to caring about his well being after years of being by himself and alone. That's why I made the sleeping scene, to show that he wanted her to get more sleep because it was important for her well being. Since she cared so much about him he innately felt the need to sort of reciprocate that altruism. Though if it was done consciously or subconsciously…that's for you to decide :) He is definitely Ami's number one, cute, strong puzzle.

Yeah, Usagi just _had_ to come down from that role. Honestly, I just don't see it happening. To me she's just not that character, she's one of the girls, she's that crybaby that we all love and hate. She's not so regal…she's just Usagi and an imperative part of their team. She knows that and they know that but they're all too stubborn and hurt and conflicted to kind of just let everything slide, which is where the contention comes from.

Yeah, Hotaru I'm still conflicted on. I think I'm going to keep her going back and forth between that kind of child-like exuberance and that stoic, all knowing Saturn persona. That's just who she is. When you need to get down to business she's serious. When you don't, she can still be that fun loving girl.

Honestly, Makoto as Heero's host is _supposed_ to be a little perverse. It's supposed to be, again, that sort of raw sense of vulnerability. Plus, you're right, Heero's not used to having to rely on anyone else so keeping her alive as well as himself has become a top priority whether he likes it or not. Honestly this is how I feel about the relationships that are coming around; Minako/Wufei is raw, unadulterated passion and exploration with a sprinkling of confusion and stubbornness. Ami/Trowa is definitely morphing into something sweet and romantic with a ton of shyness, quietness, and unarticulated tension—sort of best friend to something more scenario. Rei/Quatre is that back and forth, kiss me, don't kiss me, love me, fight me sort of thing with a huge dash of complicated feelings and emotions (mostly on Rei's part). Makoto/Heero is supposed to be that sort of smoldering, sexy, wicked, it's not supposed to happen but it kind of is thing, with an essence of annoyance and dependency. As for Hotaru/Duo…I really have yet to decide.

I'm glad you liked the chapter, it means a lot. I hope this one was just as good, though it kind of focuses mostly on Rei; something which I'm not too happy about. It's not that I don't like Rei, I love her character, but I just feel like there's more to other stories that I wanted to write. Nonetheless, her parts just kind of had to come out to move on to those other parts—it was a needed chapter. You are so, so kind with your words and they really help with getting out the next chapters. Thank you so very much!

P.S. Girl…what's happening with your fics?? I miss them! I need more good fic-ness! But I understand…I'm swamped with school work and stuff, too. I'm just the queen of procrastination, haha.


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